Splendid China opened in 1993 in Citrus Ridge, Florida, near Kissimmee.
The park was built by the People’s Republic of China at a cost of $100m. Exquisitely hand-wrought miniatures depicted Chinese landmarks.
Though the original Splendid China in Shenzhen was, and still is, a successful venture, the Florida park was besieged by protests, and fraught with internal corruption.
After just 10 years, Splendid China Florida closed in 2003.
For the next decade, the park became home to vandals and abandoneers. Much of the original statuary was stolen. This was probably for the best, as if it had not been taken, it would have been completely destroyed.
I missed visiting by one year. The park was completely demolished in 2013.