English Premier League club Manchester United has revealed plans to open a series of club-themed entertainment centres throughout China.
Working in partnership with Chinese property developer Harves, the club will begin the rollout of the Manchester United Entertainment and Experience Centres with three sites – in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenyang – by the end of 2020.
The centres will feature interactive attractions and immersive exhibitions and chart the history of the club, catering for the estimated 100 million Chinese Manchester United fans.
Each centre will offer visitors a slightly different experience, but each will include restaurants and a club retail store.
The Beijing centre – the first to open – will be located within the Beijing FUN development, in the historic Qianmen Dashilan area right next to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.
Harves is a Beijing-based real estate development and investment firm that has developed an estimated 55 million sq ft of real estate over the last two decades. It has a growing portfolio of assets across a wide range of sectors – including airlines, hospitality, and operations management.
“The Manchester United Entertainment and Experience Centres concept will offer our millions of Chinese fans the chance to experience the club in a new and innovative way," said Manchester United’s group managing director, Richard Arnold.
"We first visited China in 1975 and we’re proud to have seen our fan base in the region grow and develop their passion for United over the years. This new concept will allow them to get closer to the club they love.”
Harves CEO, Bo Zhang, added: “Manchester United was the first club to broadcast games in China and I can remember setting my alarm to watch the best players in the world play.
"Manchester United was also the first to tour China and the first to host fan events in the country. But they are so much more than a football club.
”They are always striving for excellence in the way they approach life. We are excited to bring the rituals and emotions of the Manchester United experience to the youth in China, capturing what it feels like to be a member of this elite club."
