California, US-based Moschanko Investment Group (MIG 2000) is behind plans for a new destination resort theme park to be developed in Russia - Magic World Russia. MIG 2000 revealed that Gary Goddard Entertainment Design; ProFun Management Group; and (it) Brand Studios are among some of the groups that will be working on the project. Covering more than 600 acres (243 hectares), the development is to incorporate a number of theme

Osaka theme park Universal Studios Japan (USJ) has revealed that it is to open a new area - Universal Wonderland - in spring 2012, which will cater for guests of all ages. Based on the image of a small town, the new 30,000sq m (322,917sq ft) area is to comprise three zones that will feature Snoopy, Hello Kitty and Sesame Street characters. Hello Kitty Fashion Avenue has been created from

Hertfordshire-based construction company Willmott Dixon has been appointed by Oxford City Council (OCC) to build a new multi-million pound swimming pool in Blackbird Leys. It follows a decision of OCC's executive on 21 July, with the Faulkner Browns Architects-designed project to feature an eight-lane, 25m swimming pool with floating floor. A teaching pool; spectator seating; and a toddler fun pool will also feature as part of the new venue, which

Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, a conservation-based resort in New South Wales, Australia, has secured a carbon neutral status with a carboNZero certification. The resort is the first hotel in the world to achieve carboNZero certification by an internationally accredited greenhouse gas certification scheme. Wolgan Valley was given the accolade after a full year of operation. The carbon neutral status for Wolgan Valley was made possible through a combination of

New aquariums are to be constructed in Brazil and across South America as the result of an agreement between Terramare and Australia-based Advanced Aquarium Technologies (AAT). Terramare has been operating within the aquarium industry for 15 years and has worked on the design, build and management of attractions, including the Ubatuba Aquarium. The company has also worked on a range of other schemes in Brazil, while AAT has worked on

The opening of Plymouth's new £46.5m Life Centre leisure complex has been pushed back to February 2012, after the project incurred delays due to inclement weather in late 2010. A spokesperson for Plymouth City Council confirmed that main building works on the new Archial-designed facility remain on track to be completed in November. The construction process was extended by five weeks earlier this year due to issues caused by the

Six design teams have been selected to move forward to the second stage of a design contest for Aberdeen's City Garden Project, which has been run by Malcolm Reading Consultants. A jury chaired by former University of Aberdeen principal Sir Duncan Rice selected the six finalists from an initial 55 submissions, which involved more than 150 companies. The finalists include (UK-based unless indicated): - Foster + Partners and Beirut, Lebanon-based

London-based S&P Architects have announced that director Chris Barr has passed away at the age of 53, following a short illness. During his 26-year career with the company, Chris Barr worked on a number of iconic leisure and sports schemes - including Bracknell's Coral Reef and Tralee Waterworld, Ireland. Among his most recent projects was the renovation of the Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh and the new swimming pool facilities

The Hopkins-designed London 2012 Velodrome is one of the six schemes to be shortlisted for the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Stirling Prize 2011. Folkwang Museum in Essen, Germany (David Chipperfield Architects) and Stratford-upon-Avon's Royal Shakespeare and Swan Theatres (Bennetts Associates) are also shortlisted. Two London schemes are also in the running for the accolade - the Evelyn Grace Academy (Zaha Hadid Architects) and The Angel Building, (Allford Hall

Morgan Sindall has secured an £8.1m contract to deliver the new Mayesbrook Park Sports Arena in London, which will become one of the largest facilities of its kind in the UK. The LRK Associates-designed complex is to include a 5,000sq m (53,820sq ft) sports hall; a 1,000sq m (10,764sq ft) gymnasium; and changing facilities. Due to be completed in February 2012, the new facility will be first used as a

A decision to expand swimming provision at a new £24m leisure complex being developed in St Albans, Hertfordshire, has been called in for further scrutiny by the local authority. St Albans City and District Council's (SACDC) overview and scrutiny committee will meet on 26 July to examine into the cabinet's decision to increase the size of the main pool to 10 lanes. According to committee chair Robert Donald, the need

National Museums Liverpool (NML) has launched the new £72m Museum of Liverpool - one of the largest new-build museum developments in the UK for more than a century. Designed by Denmark-based architects 3xN, the iconic new facility is also one of the first national museums in the world to focus on the history of a regional city. The Museum of Liverpool will be unveiled in phases, with the first now

HRH The Princess Royal has marked the official launch of the new £1m Mylor Yacht Club in Cornwall, which has been designed by Archial in consultation with English Heritage. Vickery Holman also worked on the development of the new club, which is located at Mylor Yacht Harbour - a 400-space marina comprising finger berths and swinging moorings. Chris Wood, director of Archial's Exeter office, said: "Our design brief was to

A new EUR198m (£174m) scheme to revamp the disused Cais Mauá dock area of Porto Alegre, Brazil, is to be designed by b720 Fermín Vázquez Arquitectos alongside Jaime Lerner Arquitetos Associades. Plans for the creation of the major new 2.5km (1.6-mile) stretch of waterfront will include a business and leisure zone for one of the 2014 FIFA World Cup venues. A hotel; a conference centre; and office space will be

Demolition work has started on site of Redcar's new £8.3m 'Hub' for the creative industry, which will bring about the transformation of the town's derelict Palace Theatre. Surgo Construction has been chosen by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council (RBBC) to oversee the two-month demolition phase, with construction work to start in the autumn. Newcastle-based xsite architecture are involved with the project, which will lead to the creation of a new

A private leisure and spa facility is to be developed as part of a residential-led scheme to be developed in Holland Park, London, after the proposals were given the green light. GC Campden Hill - a joint venture comprising property group Grosvenor and Native Land - received the green light to proceed with the plans from Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) councillors. The 2-acre (0.8-hectare), John McAslan and

London-based property group Grosvenor has submitted plans for a new mixed-use scheme in Southampton, which is to be anchored by a 100,000sq ft (9,290sq m) arts complex. New restaurant space is also proposed as part of the multi-million pound proposals, which will see the development provide a "major addition" to the city's Cultural Quarter. CZWG has worked in partnership with Grosvenor to draw up the plans, which will feature a

HTA Landscape Design has completed the £3.3m regeneration of Stevenage Town Centre Gardens - one of the first modernist landscapes to receive Heritage Lottery Fund support. Stevenage Borough Council and the Green Heart Partnership appointed the London-based company to undertake the restoration of the 4-hectare (9.9-acre) site. Located at the heart of the original Stevenage New Town development in the late 1950s, the initial phase of the scheme commenced in

Kansas City, US-based 360 Architecture is to work with Anwar Soura General Contracting Company on the development of two 30,000-seat soccer stadiums in Iraq. The design-build team has been appointed by the country's Ministry of Youth and Sport to deliver the venues in Basrah and Najaf, which will also incorporate practice facilities. Al-Menaa Sports Club is expected to cost US$86m (£53.4m) and aims to reflect Basrah's nautical tradition, located amid

Rugby Borough Council (RBC) has revealed that work could start "within months" on a new leisure centre in the Warwickshire town after plans were submitted for consideration. The B3 Architects-designed facility will cater for a range of sports and leisure uses and is to replace the current Ken Marriott Leisure Centre, which is around 40 years old. Located on the car park of the existing venue, the new leisure centre

North Lincolnshire Council (NLC) has announced that all leisure facilities at The Pods - a £21m complex designed by Andrew Wright - have now fully opened in Scunthorpe. S&P Architects worked on the scheme as delivery architects, while Bowmer and Kirkland built the facility. Buro Happold and ARCADIS were also involved with the development. Comprising five timber and glazed geodesic domes, The Pods features an 85-station, split-level fitness suite; an

S&P Architects has been appointed by Southwark Council and Lend Lease to design a new leisure centre on part of a site occupied by an existing facility in South London. The firm, which is working alongside Zaha Hadid on the London 2012 Aquatics Centre, will draw up plans for the venue to the rear of the Elephant & Castle Leisure Centre site. A six-lane, 25m swimming pool; a learner pool;

Createability has started work on a £370,000 refurbishment scheme at Winchester's River Park Leisure Centre, which will deliver an expanded fitness suite at the venue. Due to take 12 weeks to complete, the programme of work follows the announcement that operator DC Leisure had renewed its contract to manage the site for 12 more years. The scheme will see Createability break through the existing fitness suite and join it to

Hammerson has been given the green light by councillors to proceed with its proposals for the mixed-use regeneration of Eastgate Quarters in Leeds. The 92,900sq m (1 million sq ft) development is set to provide 4,000 retail and leisure jobs to the north east of the city centre, with most of the site laying vacant for a number of years. ACME are behind the design of the scheme, which will

Sunderland City Council (SCC) has confirmed that work is to start on the £2.4m renovation of Houghton Sports Complex, following the completion of a new wellness centre. Improvements will be made to the existing changing facilities and a fully-accessible disabled changing space is to be added as part of the upgrade, which was approved in March 2010. Work will also include a new dance studio on the site of the

A new £8m leisure complex under construction in Dorchester, Dorset, remains on course to open in spring 2012, with the structure of the building now reaching its full height. The Leadbitter Group commenced work on the Dyer-designed Dorchester Sports Centre in November 2010, with facilities to include a six-lane swimming pool and a 60-station gym. A dance studio and a changing village also form part of the complex, which is

The two swimming pools at Scunthorpe's new multi-million pound Pods leisure complex are to open on 11 July - a week after the first facilities at the venue were unveiled. A spokesperson for North Lincolnshire Council has confirmed that the entire building will be open from that date, with other facilities including a split-level, 85-station fitness suite. Two exercise studios; a sauna; a spa bath; a steamroom; a six-court sports