Rotorua Takes Root in Nanjing

Rotorua Town is the latest in a series of namesake housing compounds to be built for China’s booming upper class. Located in Nanjing, two hours from Shanghai, Rotorua Town is an upmarket gated community featuring buildings, gardens and landmarks based on the NZ city half a world away. Rotorua Town was named by developer Moon Building Group’s largest shareholder, Li Shun Xiang. “Rotorua gave him a good feeling,” said a Moon employee in a Waikato Times interview. “It relaxed him and made him feel very comfortable. He thinks the Chinese people work too hard and he wanted to bring the Rotorua lifestyle to this area.” China already has a London Town and Cambridge Town; Waitomo Town is currently being developed in Tangshan, south of Beijing.