Splendid China was a theme park in Four Corners, Florida. It was opened in 1993 but closed on December 31, 2003. It was a sister park to the Splendid China in Shenzhen, China, and cost $100 million to build. It was a miniature park with more than 60 replicas at a one-tenth scale at its height of popularity. Each piece was handcrafted to maintain authenticity. Initially, Chinese artists were hired to perform in the park. After a number of them tried to seek political asylum in the United States, they were replaced by local performers. Citizens Against Communist Chinese Propaganda criticized the Chinese government's ownership of Splendid China; the state-owned corporation China Travel Service owned and operated the theme park. History Origins The original idea for the Florida Splendid China theme park was that of Josephine Chen, a former educator from Taiwan. In 1988, Chen toured a prototype park, "Splendid China Miniature Scenic Spot", in Shenzhen, China operated by China Travel Service (CTS). This park is close to Hong Kong. 3.5 million people visited the park during the first year. CTS recouped its US$100 million investment during this first year. She negotiated an agreement with CTS, controlled by Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, under the China National Tourism Administration. Under the agreement, Chen supplied the land and management services, while CTS would construct the building, and supply non-management personnel. Construction On December 19, 1989, groundbreaking ceremonies were held for the start of construction for Florida Splendid China. The park's replica of the Great Wall took nearly seven million long bricks and stretched about . The replica of the Leshan Buddha was four stories tall. Buyout In December 1993, the American partners were bought out by the Chinese government. Changes in 1996 In May 1996, the Orlando Sentinel reported that the President, General Manager, and Senior Vice-President for Entertainment were replaced in what was described as a 'big management shakeup'. In July 1996, the Orlando Business Journal reported that Florida Splendid China was changing their name to "Chinatown." In August 1996, the Orlando Business Journal reported that marketing department of Florida Splendid China had shrunk by 5 positions. FARA violation In March 1998, the Orlando Sentinel reported that Citizens Against Communist Chinese Propaganda asked Attorney General Janet Reno and the US Department of Justice to investigate Florida Splendid China for violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act. In May 1999, the Far