(The following story is from the Associated Press.)
BEIJING — The consortium in charge of the world’s first commercial magnetic-levitation train wants to slap your name on it for two years — if you have a million or so bucks to spare, that is.
The Shanghai Maglev Transportation Development Co.Ltd. says it is opening up bidding for naming rights to theinnovative new train beginning March 5. The startingprice: 8 million yuan (US$963,800).
The winning bidder will receive naming rights for two yearsand permission to advertise inside the train for the sameamount of time, the official Xinhua News Agency saidSunday, quoting the company’s general manager, SongXiaoyun.
He said seats aboard every train will also be reserved forthe winners.
More than 10 companies — both Chinese and foreign —have already offered bids, Xinhua said.
The German-built train, which cost US$1.2 billion, wasinaugurated Dec. 31 with a ride by Chinese Premier ZhuRongji and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. Itreached speeds of 260 mph (420 kph) between Shanghai’sgleaming financial district and the city’s 3-year-oldPudong airport.
The train rides above its track suspended by powerful opposing magnets.
Shanghai hopes the line will burnish its image as a global business and technology center. The train is supposed to start carrying regular passengers sometime late this year, though a date has not been announced.