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| Akis Stark, center, managing director of London-based investment firm Weingrow Partners, speaks during a news conference at the Westin Chosun Seoul, Tuesday, with Alex Burns, left, CEO of Williams, and Fintan Knight, commercial director of Autombili Lamborghini. |
By Kim Tae-jongA five-kilometer motor racing track and affiliated leisure facilities will be constructed in Incheon by 2016, exclusively targeting Asia's young super-rich, who will enjoy various motor sports there.London-based investment firm Weingrow Partners said Tuesday that it will build the "world's first exclusive lifestyle and racing club" on Yeongjong Island off Incheon, close to Incheon International Airport, in collaboration with Italy's supercar maker Automobili Lamborghini and England's Formula One team and engineering firm Williams. It aims at completing the facilities by 2016."Korea is right in the middle of the supercar market in North East Asia. The proximity to the market in the region is the main reason we chose Korea for the location of this project," Akis Stark, managing director from Weingrow Partners, said during a news conference at the Westin Chosun Seoul.But not everyone would be welcomed to use the facility, as it is only available for "selected" customers."We will be selecting our potential customers. At this stage, we will not openly market it. We will invite customers and review whether they are suitable to become members. There will be quite strict criteria," he said.Stark said there are about 73,000 supercar owners in North East Asia, who are potential customers, and they are within a four-hour flight from Incheon.
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| This is an artist's impression of a racing track and leisure facilities to be constructed in Incheon. |
The basic concept is that members will have an opportunity to race the latest F1 and other road and racing cars provided by Weingrow's strategic partners ― Williams and Lamborghini. Members can also enjoy other luxury leisure activities, handled by other partners.For the project, Weingrow will construct a five-kilometer FIA Grande 1 racetrack, a seven-star hotel with 220 rooms, restaurants and bars, conference facilities and driving training center.Stark said the budget for the project will not exceed $1 billion with the money being raised from partners and investors, refusing to elaborate more on the fundraising process and to name investors. "They are the best possible fit in each category, and with their support we have created a unique concept of racing and lifestyle," he said.Alex Burns, CEO of Williams and Fintan Knight, commercial director of Autombili Lamborghini, also joined the news conference, as representatives from the main partners in the project. EDG Korea, and entertainment destination developer will be the project coordinator."The Asia Pacific Region has become a pillar of stability for Lamborghini and our commitment to the project in Incheon only reaffirms our long-term plans for the region," Knight said.The central government and the city of Incheon are supportive of the project, expecting that it could boost the nation's brand image and growth in tourism."Korea will be a place where people from all over the world, beyond Asia, will come to have fun and enjoy themselves," said Lee Charm, president of the Korea Tourism Organization, who also attended the conference. "For that, I think we need a lot of infrastructure. We also need a luxury leisure culture. When I first heard about Weingrow's project, I thought it would be an iconic place."
이탈리아 슈퍼카 람보르기니와 F1(포뮬러1) 머신을 시승할 수 있는 레이싱 트랙이 영종도에 건립된다. 아시아의 젊은 “슈퍼 리치”만을 대상으로 하는 복합 레저 시설은 2016년 완공을 목표로 하고 있다.
영국계 글로벌 투자회사인 웨인그로우 파트너스는 기자회견을 통해, 이탈리아 슈퍼카 브랜드인 람보르기니와 포뮬러 1 팀이자 자동차 엔지니어링 회사인 윌리엄스가 전략적 파트너로 참여하는 세계 최최 레이싱, 라이프스타일 클럽 런칭을 발표했다.
이 클럽의 회원은 매년 윌리엄스와 람보르기니에서 제공하는 최신 F1, F2차를 비롯하여 로드 및 레이싱 차들을 시승할 수 있게 된다. 이를 위해, 5km길이의 레이스 트랙과 220개의 객실로 이루어진 7성급 호텔을 비롯하여 레스토랑 및 바, 컨퍼런스 시설이 함께 건설될 예정이다.
영종도는 공항에 인접해 중국과 일본을 비롯한 아시아 지역의 슈퍼카 소유 고객이 쉽게 올 수 있다는 입지적 조건이 가장 큰 장점이라고 웨인그로우 측은 밝혔다.
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