Splendid China (Florida) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Splendid China

The derelict Imperial Palace in 2012
Location	Four Corners, Florida, United States
Coordinates	28°20′03″N 81°36′31″W / 28.33417°N 81.60861°W / 28.33417; -81.60861
Status	closed
Opened	1993
Closed	December 31, 2003
Theme	Ancient China
Area	75 acres (30 ha)

Splendid China was a fun theme park located in Four Corners, Florida. It was close to famous places like Walt Disney World and Orlando. The park first opened its doors in 1993. It closed down on December 31, 2003.

This park was like a twin to another park called Splendid China in Shenzhen, China. That park is still open today! Building the Florida Splendid China park cost a lot of money, about $100 million.

At its most popular, the park covered about 75 acres. It was a miniature park with over 60 tiny copies of famous Chinese landmarks. Each miniature was carefully made by hand to look just like the real thing. For example, the park's copy of the Great Wall used almost seven million tiny bricks. It stretched for about half a mile! The miniature Leshan Buddha was four stories tall.

Florida Splendid China also had amazing shows. These shows featured about 60 dancers, actors, and acrobats. Many of these performers came from the People's Republic of China. Later, some performers decided to stay in the United States. After this, the park hired more local performers.

Some people had concerns about Splendid China. They worried because the park was owned by the government of the People's Republic of China. The people in charge of the park were chosen by the Chinese government. Critics pointed out that some exhibits showed parts of China that have a difficult history. For example, they mentioned the Potala Palace (important to Tibetan people) and the Id Kah Mosque (important to people from Eastern Turkestan).

Park History

How the Park Started

The idea for Florida Splendid China came from a woman named Josephine Chen. She was a teacher from Taiwan. In 1988, Ms. Chen visited a similar park in Shenzhen, China. This park was called "Splendid China Miniature Scenic Spot." It was run by a company called China Travel Service (CTS).

The park in China was very popular. About 3.5 million people visited it in its first year. CTS made back its $100 million investment that same year. Ms. Chen then made a deal with CTS. She would provide the land and manage the park. CTS would build the park and send over staff.

Building the Park

Construction for Florida Splendid China began on December 19, 1989. This was marked by a special groundbreaking ceremony.

Changes in Ownership

In December 1993, the American partners who helped start the park were bought out. The Chinese government then fully owned the park.

Park Changes in the Mid-1990s

In May 1996, news reports said that the park's top managers were replaced. This was a big change for the park. In July 1996, there were talks about changing the park's name to "Chinatown." By August 1996, the park's marketing team had become smaller.

Concerns and Protests

People started to protest against the park. They believed some exhibits were showing things in a way that supported the Chinese Communist Party. These protests focused on exhibits about Mongolian and Tibetan cultures.

In November 1995, a school board in Florida voted to stop school trips to Splendid China. In March 1996, during a protest, five college students sat down and blocked the park's front gate. Many other protesters watched. In April 1996, a large group of teachers in Florida voted to ban personal or school trips to the park.

In October 1997, the brother of the 14th Dalai Lama (a very important leader for Tibetan Buddhists) joined a protest at the park. This protest marked 48 years since Eastern Turkestan was taken over. In December 1999, another protest happened at the park's main gate. This one marked the park's sixth anniversary.

Plans to Close

In May 2000, the park's president, Sunny Yang, said that the park might be sold and closed. In November 2000, Ms. Yang was sent back to China. This happened amid concerns about how the park's money was being handled.

After the Park Closed

Abandoned park buildings, in 2012

After Splendid China closed, the park faced many problems. Thieves and vandals broke in and stole hundreds of items. They took everything from small miniatures to parts of life-size statues. The people who did this were never caught.

The land where the park stood was sold several times. In July 2009, it was for sale for $30 million. On May 9, 2013, the new owners began to tear down the park buildings. By March 2016, nothing was left of the park. New construction had begun for a resort called Margaritaville Resort. This new resort would have homes, condos, and timeshares with a Jimmy Buffett theme.

Park Exhibits