A water park will be opened in western Shanghai as competition to the Disney park project under construction in Pudong district.

Playa Maya, a sister park of Shanghai Happy Valley, will cost more than 400 million yuan ($63 million), said Xu Fei, a member of the administrative staff at Shanghai OCT Co Ltd, on Monday.

Shanghai OCT turned the more-than 4 billion yuan Happy Valley in the city’s Sheshan district into a new tourism landmark in 2009.

The venue held a summer carnival last weekend to entertain young people with various kinds of events.

"But the existing aquatic amusement facilities fail to meet the demands of tourists. Just water sprinkling is not enough," said Xu.

Insiders said Happy Valley is facing fierce competition from local rivals. There are seven water parks operating in the city’s suburbs.

"But the newly-built water park will have advantages to challenge them," Xu said, adding that Playa Maya, occupying an area of 120,000 square meters, will be equipped with 12 sets of imported aquatic amusement facilities.

chenqide@chinadaily.com.cn