The first Manchester United Entertainment and Experience Centres are to open in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenyang.
The Old Trafford club, in partnership with leading Chinese property developer Harves, has announced that it will open the new centres by 2020.
They will use interactive attractions and exhibitions to bring the excitement of matchday to the club’s 100 million followers in China, as well as provide an opportunity to learn about its history and heritage.
The Beijing centre will be located within the Beijing FUN development, in the historic Qianmen Dashilan area right next to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Each venue will feature interactive and immersive experiences, using state-of-the-art technology to “bring Manchester United to life”.
Each centre will include restaurants and a club retail store.
Group Managing Director, Richard Arnold, said: “We’re very excited to be partnering with Harves on the Manchester United Entertainment and Experience Centres concept, offering our millions of Chinese fans the chance to experience the club in a new and innovative way. 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: “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.”