Kuwait Times

Published Date: March 20, 2009
By Hussain Al-Qatari, Staff writer

KUWAIT: The first '99 Village' park was officially launched yesterday in Slayel Al-Jahra Resort in Jahra. The theme park is a joint venture between Tashkeel Media Group and the United Entertainment and Tourism Company (UETC).
In a press conference held at the Copthorne Hotel in Slayel Resort, Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa, CEO and founder of the Tashkeel Group and creator of The 99 Comics expressed his joy about the launch of the theme park. "Seeing our characters transformed from two-dimensional drawings to a real-world setting is not only a dream come true for me, but also an indicator of the tremendous growth potential for the 99 brand," he said.

Adel Omoor, Chairman and CEO of UETC said, "We are delighted to partner with Tashkeel and add The 99 to our entertainment mix. We're sure that the addition of these world famous superheroes will give our parks extra appeal and provide a memorable entertainment experience for the whole family.

The two companies plan to open a new park regionally every year for the next six years. The planned development will alternate between indoor and outdoor entertainment parks, and is expected to represent one of the most ambitious expansion plans for entertainment properties in the region. "We are tremendously excited by Naif and his vision for the 99. He and his team have built an awesome concept. The variety of characters they have created are a theme park builder's dream and we can't wait to start turnin
g these fantastic creations into a reality. The diversity of 'The 99 Universe' will be reflected in the different parks and entertainment settings that we will create together," said Omoor.

The method that Dr. Naif used in his project should be an example for the creative minds in this region," said Dr. Mohammad Al-Sanousi, former Minister of Information and Director of Slayel Al-Jahra project. "By using the aide of more experienced professionals from the US and from around the globe, the project of The 99 succeeded in reaching out to a very wide audience and spread a positive message about our culture. I seriously applaud Dr. Naif's efforts.

The joint venture's program plan includes manufacturing-themed merchandise for 'The 99' that will be available to retail stores throughout the region. UETC will also soon preview 'The 99 Village Store' which will be in each 99 Theme Park. These stores will have exclusive items that can only be found there, activity books, apparel, toys and games.

Al-Mutawa explained in the conference, "The parks and merchandise are the last step in spreading the story of the 99 to the widest possible audience. We want everyone to experience our positive message about tolerance, teamwork and respect that appears in every story of the 99. The 99 theme park will provide a safe and fun environment for families to be entertained and educated by characters drawn from their culture and values.

Al-Mutawa concluded, "When I first created the 99, I used to say to people, 'Next Ramadan the world will have new heroes,' but these days I tell people 'The world has new heroes and today you can go and visit them in Jahra!'