Walt Disney Co, the second-largest United States media company, may increase its stake in its struggling Hong Kong Disneyland theme park as attendance figures falter.

 

"We do anticipate an additional investment ourselves," said Hong Kong Disneyland's managing director Bill Ernest in Hong Kong yesterday, according to Bloomberg News. He didn't elaborate.

 

Disney owns a 43-percent stake in Hong Kong Disneyland with Hong Kong's government, which paid for land reclamation, roads and other supporting works, holding the balance.

 

The theme park in November asked banks to allow it to delay debt repayments, prompting some law makers to claim it wasn't designed to cater for local habits and culture.

 

Disney also denied talks on opening a park in Shanghai, Ernest said yesterday. "We are fully focused on our Hong Kong park," he said.

 

The Hong Kong park attracted more than four million visitors in its second year, fewer than forecast.

 

(Shanghai Daily January 22, 2008)