An ambitious idea to build a new tourism and conservation park in Hastings called Pandaland has been unveiled by a retired businessman. 

As the name suggests, the plan involves building a $17.5 million facility to house two giant panda bears on loan from China. 

It would be a one-of-a-kind facility in New Zealand and the preferred location is Hastings which has a sister city, Guilin, in China. 

Adelaide Zoo is the closest facility which houses giant panda bears, loaned through China’s panda exchange programme. 

Retired Hawke’s Bay businessman Max Patmoy is behind the vision and says “there are a lot of barriers, but none that are impenetrable” - not least of which is leasing two bears. 

He floated the idea back in 2010 to turn Napier’s closed Marineland into Pandaland but the idea was deemed unsuitable. 

He has now revived the idea, including paying for concept plans and a detailed business case, and is confident the attraction is financially viable and beneficial for the region. 

Patmoy is trying to secure a location, ideally in Hastings, at which point he plans to raise funds to build the facility. 

Giant panda bears are native to China. Photo / Unsplash 

As for securing two panda bears, Patmoy said New Zealand had a good relationship with China – which included a free trade agreement – and he believed there was a high chance of leasing two bears. 

Zoos around the world that participate in China’s panda exchange programme can loan pandas for an annual cost, usually around $1.65 million a year (US$1M) for two bears. 

The People’s Republic of China has a history of gifting (and in recent decades loaning) native pandas to reward trade partners, with the exchange often seen as a goodwill gesture. 

The pandas typically return to their homeland after the loan agreement which can span about 10 years. 

Former Prime Minister John Key visited China last year and claimed there was potential and openness for New Zealand to be loaned two pandas, which had been on his wishlist as prime minister. 

Patmoy said that had sparked his renewed push for Pandaland. 

Pandaland will base its design on the panda facility in Sichuan province. Photo / Supplied 

“I think if our current Prime Minister asks for two panda bears, he will get it,” Patmoy said, who plans to meet with MPs. 

Pandaland would need just over 500 visitors a day to be financially viable and would operate as a non-profit organisation, Patmoy said. 

“There is not one zoo in the world that has panda bears that has less than 500 visitors a day.” 

He said the entry fee (adults $40 and children $25) combined with sponsorship would cover annual operating costs, the panda loan fee, repayments for building the facility, and raise money for conservation work. 

According to Sharp Consulting, the estimated price to build Pandaland is $17.5 million, which would feature an auditorium (where visitors would watch a 20-minute conservation talk), an enclosure for two giant pandas, a cafe and a shop. 

“There are a lot of barriers, but none that are impenetrable,” Patmoy said. 

Max Patmoy is behind the ambitious plans. Photo / Supplied 

“I’m the sort of person that is meticulous and goes one step at a time, very quietly, and makes sure one step is done properly before you move to the next step. 

“That is the attitude you need for something like this, you can’t go about it like a bull in a china shop.” 

Last month, he met with Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst and Hastings District Council CEO Nigel Bickle to present his vision and request the use of a portion of the Tōmoana Hawke’s Bay Showgrounds for $1 a year. 

That has not been approved, and Patmoy said he would look for other locations. 

Hazlehurst thanked Patmoy for sharing his vision but said there was a process around use of the showgrounds. 

“We made it very clear when we purchased the Tōmoana Showgrounds ... we would go through a Reserve Management Plan process with the community to determine what they want to happen with this space. 

An artist impression of what Pandaland could look like. Photo / Supplied 

“People can put forward submissions for the Reserve Management Plan at the appropriate time during the process.” 

Tukituki MP Catherine Wedd said plans were floated in 2010 to bring two pandas to Hawke’s Bay but those plans did not eventuate. 

“The best option to investigate the proposal would be to re-approach the National Aquarium of New Zealand,” she said. 

In 1988, two giant panda bears were housed at Auckland Zoo for three months resulting in a big spike in visitors. 

Patmoy said he considered giant pandas to be the “epitome of conservation” and there were an estimated 1850 giant pandas left in the wild. 

Patmoy has owned a handful of businesses around Hawke’s Bay, including Whitebay Lavender Farm in Eskdale, and is well-known for impersonating Charlie Chaplin at Art Deco Festivals for about 20 years. 

Gary Hamilton-Irvine is a Hawke’s Bay-based reporter who covers a range of news topics including business, councils, breaking news and cyclone recovery. He formerly worked at News Corp Australia.