Disney World, Six Flags and Modelland.
If Tyra Banks has her way, the new theme park she’s creating will be mentioned in the same breath with those other big name parks.
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The “American Top Model’ creator told Women’s Wear Daily that she’s opening a 21,000-square-foot theme park called Modelland in Santa Monica, Calif., that will allow visitors to live out their wildest model fantasies.
“It’s my calling to bring modeling to the masses. I created ‘Top Model’ to expand the definition of beauty based on my own pain of being told ‘no’ that I couldn’t do something because I’m curvy or I’m Black,” she explained. My empathy for women in general increased through the experience. And now with Modelland, I’m taking it 10 steps forward, giving people the opportunity to engage with the elusive world by opening it up to everyone.”
Modelland, which will be a permanent attraction, as opposed to a pop-up, will be located in Santa Monica Place, an open-air shopping mall.
Banks said that she was inspired by places like Disneyland that she frequented as a child and has been working on the concept for a decade.
And besides the park, there will be high-end dining offered, retail and a technology component that’s yet to be revealed. Tickets will have to be purchased for the modeling attractions, but anyone can enter the restaurants and stores.
But despite glamour being a huge part of the theme park and Banks’ overall brand, she received a lot of praise for sharing a photo of herself with no makeup and her natural hair late last month. Many called the 45-year-old stunning and the photo was shared over 130 times.
Modelland is tapped to open sometime in 2019, and Banks said she couldn’t be more excited about it.
“Modelland is not just a place to us; It’s a movement. Yes, it’s an attraction and a destination, but above all, it’s the genesis for people with all types of different beauty to feel seen and validated. Modelland will empower them to embrace, celebrate and adorn their own unique beauty in ways they never thought possible,” she told Variety.
