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First look at China’s Lionel Messi soccer theme park
Tribute to leading Argentine player set to open in Nanjing in 2020
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The developers of what they claim will be the world’s biggest soccer-themed park have given a glimpse of the planned attraction based in eastern China around legendary player Lionel Messi.
The €170 million (US$200 million) project – called the Messi Experience Park – is being developed by Spanish firm Mediapro Exhibitions and Messi’s management, and is expected to open in 2020.
Mediapro president Jaume Roures told Spanish sports news website AS that the project, which was unveiled in June, would serve as a “huge tribute to football”.
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The latest announcement comes in the same week that Messi secured Argentina’s place in the World Cup, scoring three goals against Ecuador on the last day of South American qualifying. The dramatic hat-trick saved the Albiceleste from missing out on qualification for the first time since 1970.
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The developers said the park aimed to “combine Chinese tradition with modern-day design” to promote a “cross-cultural game which knows no frontiers”.
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