RETURN OF THE KING AS KONG TO APPEAR IN GAMES PARK
IT’S been 50 years since King Kong loomed large over Birmingham’s Bull Ring Shopping Centre. The 20ft statue was a sight to behold in the 1970s.
Now, to celebrate the city being the host of the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Cordia Blackswan is bringing the statue home once again.
This time a replica of Nicholas Monro’s muchloved sculpture will be
housed in his very own pop-up park: King Kong Park. The park will bring together the community with athletes, visitors and tourists in a festival-style celebration of the city.
There will be live music, sports events and street food and drink in the run up to and during the Games.
Commonwealth Games events will be live-streamed on a big screen, and the park will have a running track for visitors to use.
The park will launch on July 22 and will be open every day from midday to 11pm until August 8.
Located in Great Hampton Row, near Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, the park will be at the heart of Cordia Blackswan’s residential and commercial development hub along Great Hampton Street.
A spokesman for Cordia Blackswan said: “A 7m tall sculpture of King Kong, created by RoboCarv will form the centrepiece of the park.
“Identical to the original sculpture by Nicholas Monro and with the family’s blessings, we have worked hard to return King Kong to his original state and to bring him back to his rightful home here in Birmingham.”