Posted on 05/25/2015 11:58:15 PM PDT by iowamark
With the help of Google Maps, fans of the science fiction franchise “Star Trek” have boldly gone to China to find a new discovery: the USS Enterprise as a work of architecture.
The design of the building has sparked heated discussion online among Trekkies about which ship from the long-running television and movie series it is based on.
Now the mysterious owner has come forward.
The 260-meter long, 100-meter wide, six-floor building was built by Hong Kong-listed Chinese online game developer NetDragon Websoft, whose founder Liu Dejian — a 43-year-old University of Kansas alumni — is a huge fan. Mr. Liu is also a board member of Chinese search engine giant Baidu.
With a total investment of 600 million yuan ($97 million), the building was inspired by the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-E, which appeared in three “Star Trek” movies in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It has landed in the coastal city of Changle in China’s southeast Fujian province, where the company’s headquarters is based. Construction started in late October of 2010 and finished in May of 2014.
China is no stranger to architectural fantasies. But based on the NetDragon’s account, Mr. Liu and his team took their task seriously.
According to the company, executives didn’t make a building based on the Enterprise their first choice because much of it would have to be elevated. But one day, inspired by a poster for the franchise, they decided to put the giant ship on several columns, as if it had landed on the field for repairs.
Once NetDragon made its decision, it said, the company contacted U.S. media company CBS CBSA +0.49%, which produces Star Trek, to secure the rights. “
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.wsj.com ...
They spend money like drunken Klingons.
Somebody was going to build the original Enterprise as a hotel or tourist attraction. But it never happened, I don’t think. Only remember hearing of the idea.
This looks more like Voyager than Enterprise
You’re correct.
You are probably thinking of what was to be a full scale recreation for the early 90s Las Vegas Downtown redevelopment project. The Enterprise was the winning concept for the big Downtown attraction but when the CEO of Paramount didn’t sign off on it, the runner up was built instead: The Freemont Experience.
It was literally down to the CEO saying “Yes”. Financing was provided by the downtown casinos; land was provided by the city; the city officials including the mayor were on board; the president of Paramount Studios; and their licensing division: everything was in place.
http://collider.com/star-trek-enterprise-vegas/
My reply above was directed to you, but for some reason my “To:” selection keeps defaulting to myself.
Yeah, that sounds right.
The King of Jordan wanted a Star Trek theme park.
The people in the Soviet Union were huge fans of Dallas.
THAT would have been so kewl!
HR had to tell the Receptionist to stop rolling all over the floor.
Yvonne Craig was such a cutie, even in green. That pouty lower lip was irresistible.
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