Fri, 29 Jul 1994

Joint-venture water park project approved

BEKASI (JP): The Bekasi Regency Legislative Assembly has approved a joint-venture project between the regency administration and a private company to develop a water park and sports center.

Masyhuri, the spokesman for a committee set up by the assembly, was quoted by Bisnis Indonesia as saying yesterday that the joint-venture agreement was endorsed by the assembly at its plenary session on Monday.

Masyhuri said the regency administration has allotted a 7.9- hectare plot of land in the Karang Kitri scout camping ground in Margahayu, East Bekasi, for the tourism project.

Under the agreement, Bisnis Indonesia reported that the resort project will be built by PT Reka Pastika Asri (RPA), a private company, with an estimated cost of Rp 12 billion (US$6 million).

Bekasi Regent Djamhari said the development of the resort, which will include sports facilities, will be conducted in three stages. The first phase will include a sports center and swimming pool while the second phase will consist of a water park similar to that at Ancol Dreamland in North Jakarta.

The third and final phase will include the development of cottages and other facilities, such as parking plots.

"The water park is expected to be the biggest in the country," Djamhari said.

Earlier Hayati Katoppo of PT RPA said that,"Bekasi residents will no longer have to travel to Ancol because the park will resemble the Jakarta resort."

Thus far, the Bekasi regency does not have a single entertainment park for its population of two million.

PT RPA will reportedly cooperate with its partners from Malaysia and the United States, who specialize in water park projects.

The Karang Kitri area, located in the heart of Bekasi, is considered suitable for the development of a recreational area because it is easily accessible.

Djamhari said the regency administration will build a new scout camping ground in the Settu district to replace the Karang Kitri compound, which has been closed for the water park and sports center project. (has)