 |
 |
|
Review
As of 2012, the headlines in the English press about Russia can really give you a scare. Quite on the contrary, though, every time I visit I like it very much. Yes, there is the occasional guy walking down the street that looks like he has no mother. But what I also see, and what intrigues me, is a young generation of Russians in their teens and early twenties that is English-speaking, friendly, open-minded, educated, motivated, philosophical, cosmopolitan and straightforward – people that are hard to find elsewhere. I am confident they will build an amazing, livable country for themselves and for those who will come to live here.
When I mention Universal Studios Moscow to people unfamiliar with the city I tend to hear comments like, ‘What? In Moscow? As in the capital of pre-fab Soviet housing? No way!’
Be not mistaken, the Moscow of today absolutely has the consumers with the disposable income to make this park a success. We've all seen the time-honored wintertime pictures of the Kremlin and Saint Basil's Cathedral, but now let me show you a modern Moscow that you might not have seen before – a growing, mystical metropolis in which an indoor Universal Studio theme park will fit as a natural feature when it opens in 2018.
If all goes well, construction of Galaxy Park, the megamall that will house the Studios, will commence in 2014. No offense to Ferrari World and Lotte World, but this park is likely to be the first real cutting-edge themed park under a roof.
Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport with new Aeroflot fleet parked
When strangers meet
Dostoevsky Statue in front of Lenin Library. Moscow has history!
But now let's take a look at the modern Moscow: new metro station
New shopping mall
Shopping mall, upper floor
...with cutting-edge skyscrapers...
...looming above the glass ceiling
'Moscow City' business district
Skyscrapers under construction
Moscow City street view
Newly-opened outlet village
Belaya Dacha Outlet Village, on the eastern edge of Moscow
Inspecting changes
And here's the just-opened, brilliant Jewish Museum
Created by American design firm Ralph Appelbaum Associates
It's an absolute masterpiece of an interactive museum!
Jewish Museum Moscow
You can sit with this guy and learn about history
4-D theater they've got, as well!
Showing a well-edited film educating about Jewish history
Fog effects included
Skolkovo, Medvedev's Silicon Valley dream (but don't come without an appointment)
Apartments under construction at Skolkovo
More Skolkovo construction
Inside the Skolkovo Business School campus
These guys in the Startup Corner appear to be fitting in
Condoleezza Rice on the wall in the campus canteen
MBA students everywhere
Skolkovo campus has country-branded lecture halls
And here's the next generation of Russians
More young Russians. Doesn't fit the stereotype, does it?
Hello, Russia of tomorrow!
Getting into the Moscow Metro
Annino metro station in Moscow's southern outskirts
Annino is where Universal Studios is supposed to be built
Russian bear? No, it's just a grim dog in Annino!
Here it is: depressing Soviet suburbia
It looks dreary, but...
...exactly this spot...
...will play home to:
Galaxy Park, featuring the first indoor Universal park
Look at this. Think Universal Studios. A bit tough to imagine right now!
Footbridge crossing the highway adjacent to the Universal site
Infrastructure from the past
Apartment blocks on the other side of the highway
View over the future Galaxy Park/Universal Studios site
Thanks for watching!
|
|