Toons grow life size

Turner's Pogo and Cartoon Network are set to open amusement parks in Delhi.

What's fun on the television screen can be twice the fun in real life (or at least the blubber plastic blowup version of real life). Turner International, after 10 years of keeping kids in India tickled to their teeth through its satellite TV channels, has entered the business of amusement parks in India.

Cartoon Network Townsville and Planet Pogo will open in New Delhi by the end of this year and early next year, respectively.

According to Ian Diamond, senior vice-president, Turner Entertainment Network, "We want to provide kids a complete experience of our brands and theme parks would be the ideal platform."

The parks are being done in collaboration with International Recreation Parks and Unitech. Planet Pogo, offering some eight rides and spread across 3.5 acres in Rohini, would be the children's section of a larger family entertainment centre called Adventure Island.

Townsville, offering 13 rides and located in suburban Noida (in Uttar Pradesh) across 6.8 acres, will be a part of Worlds of Wonder park.

The company has invested about Rs 550 crore in both the park projects, and would try to make the most of the appeal of all its character properties that appear on TV.

So kids will have Powerpuff Girls, Tom & Jerry, Johnny Bravo and all the rest to keep the thrills going.

Turner already has such amusement parks in countries like Argentina. Australia and USA. "We kept in mind factors such as rise in disposable incomes and need for entertainment options before getting into this business."

Family entertainment centres are a fast growing business in India, projected at some Rs 900 crore in 2007, more than double last year's estimate.

Hundreds of local players are trying to get into the act, but it's the global biggies that have exclusive control of almost all the character properties that serve as kiddie baits nowadays.

Moreover: "Safety and quality are the two main aspects on which we are laying emphasis and we have roped in the best companies to ensure this," says Diamond, adding that there are no current plans of taking the concept to other parts of India.