E-DA World

E-DA World is a large outlet-shopping, hospitality, entertainment, and tourism complex in Dashu District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The complex is centered on E-Da Outlet Mall, which opened officially on December 18, 2010, after beginning trial operations in June of that year. It is described as Taiwan’s first outlet mall and was developed as a major destination project of the E United Group, the Taiwanese business group associated with entrepreneur Lin I-shou. The development grew out of the group’s earlier educational and healthcare projects in the same area. I-Shou University, established in 1986, and E-Da Hospital, which began operations in 2004, provided the institutional context for a broader mixed-use development. Construction for the shopping, hotel, and leisure complex began in March 2006 near I-Shou University. The name E-Da is derived from the Chinese short form associated with I-Shou University, linking the commercial destination to the group’s wider presence in Kaohsiung. The shopping mall occupies a large multi-building site within the approximately 90-hectare E-DA World development. Its reported total floor area is 185,628.92 square metres, making it one of the largest shopping complexes in Asia. The architecture uses a European neoclassical visual language, while several attractions employ Mediterranean and ancient Greek themes. The retail offer is built around outlet shopping, with international brands, fashion, sportswear, restaurants, and other consumer categories. The complex also includes cinemas, entertainment facilities, event venues, and recreational attractions, allowing it to function as a day-trip and tourism destination rather than only as a conventional retail center. E-DA World’s hospitality component includes the E-Da Skylark Hotel and the E-Da Crowne Plaza Hotel. The hotels provide accommodation, restaurants, meeting spaces, and facilities for conferences and other events. The E-DA Royal Theater adds a performance and visitor-attraction element; its central stage can rotate through 360 degrees and the venue can accommodate more than 1,800 people. The site also contains E-Da amusement park, whose themed areas include Acropolis, Aegean Village, and Castle of Troy. The park opened on December 19, 2010, one day after the outlet mall’s formal opening. Its entrance area, Aeropolis, and the Santorini-themed section use ancient Greek and Aegean architectural motifs, while the Trojan Castle area draws on the story of the Trojan horse. The amusement park has been expanded with additional rides. A 3D ship swing was introduced in July 2012 and later upgraded to a 5D version in 2014. Together with the Ferris wheel, cinema, theater, hotels, restaurants, and retail stores, these facilities give E-DA World a positioning that combines outlet shopping with themed entertainment and resort-style leisure. The complex is connected by shuttle bus to Taiwan High Speed Rail’s Zuoying Station, with a journey of about 20 minutes. Its location and transport connection have supported visitation by domestic travelers as well as foreign tourists, including organized tour groups from China and Japan. E-DA World therefore operates as both a regional shopping center and a broader tourist attraction within the Kaohsiung area.

E-DA World was developed by E United Group as a major mixed-use project in Dashu District, Kaohsiung. The project followed the group’s establishment of I-Shou University in 1986 and the opening of E-Da Hospital in 2004. These earlier institutions formed part of a broader E United presence in the area and helped provide the setting for a commercial and leisure destination near the university campus. Construction of the shopping, hotel, and entertainment complex began in March 2006. The development was named after the Chinese short form associated with I-Shou University, creating a connection between the new destination and the group’s educational activities. After more than four years of construction, the outlet mall began trial operations on June 19, 2010. Its formal opening took place on December 18, 2010, and the adjoining E-Da amusement park opened the following day. The project was conceived as more than a retail center. The approximately 90-hectare site brought together a large outlet-shopping complex, two hotels, a cinema, a theater, an amusement park, restaurants, and other leisure facilities. The mall’s reported floor area of 185,628.92 square metres made it one of the largest shopping complexes in Asia. Its European neoclassical architecture was paired with themed environments inspired by ancient Greece, the Aegean region, and the Trojan War. The retail component was designed around outlet shopping and international brands. Alongside stores, the complex incorporated sports and recreational facilities, dining, cinemas, and event spaces. The E-DA Royal Theater became a notable venue within the development, with a rotating stage and seating capacity of more than 1,800. The hotels, E-Da Skylark Hotel and E-Da Crowne Plaza Hotel, added accommodation, restaurants, conference rooms, and event services, strengthening the destination’s role in tourism and business events. E-Da amusement park was divided into themed areas including Acropolis, Aegean Village, and Castle of Troy. The entrance area, Aeropolis, was designed in an ancient Greek style. A Santorini-inspired section used white-and-blue Aegean visual motifs and included rides and international restaurants. The northeastern section, Trojan Castle, drew on the Trojan horse narrative. The park’s attractions were subsequently expanded: a 3D ship swing was added in July 2012 and upgraded to 5D in 2014. A shuttle connection to the Zuoying High Speed Rail station provided access from one of southern Taiwan’s principal transport hubs, with an approximate travel time of 20 minutes. The complex attracted local visitors and international tourists, including organized groups from China and Japan. Its proximity to I-Shou University and I-Shou International School also reinforced the relationship between E-DA World and E United Group’s wider institutional campus. E-DA World’s historical significance within Taiwanese retail lies in its combination of outlet shopping and large-scale destination entertainment. Rather than operating solely as a shopping venue, it was built as an integrated tourism and leisure complex, using themed architecture, hotels, performances, amusement rides, and transport access to encourage longer visits and broader visitor demand.

• 2014

  Ship swing upgraded to 5D

  [1]E-Da Outlet Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The ship swing attraction was upgraded from 3D to 5D.

• 2012

  3D ship swing added

  [1]E-Da Outlet Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The amusement park expanded its ride offering with a 3D ship swing in July.

• 2010

  Outlet mall enters trial operation

  [1]E-Da Outlet Mallen.wikipedia.org

  E-Da Outlet Mall began trial operations on June 19 after more than four years of construction.

• 2010

  E-Da Outlet Mall officially opens

  [1]E-Da Outlet Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The outlet mall officially opened on December 18 and was presented as Taiwan’s first outlet mall.

• 2010

  E-Da amusement park opens

  [1]E-Da Outlet Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The adjoining E-Da amusement park opened on December 19 with Acropolis, Aegean Village, and Castle of Troy themed areas.

• 2006

  Construction begins

  [1]E-Da Outlet Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Construction of the E-DA World shopping, hotel, and leisure project began in March near I-Shou University in Dashu District.

• 2004

  E-Da Hospital begins operations

  [1]E-Da Outlet Mallen.wikipedia.org

  E-Da Hospital began operating in the same broader development area before the construction of the shopping and leisure complex.

• 1986

  I-Shou University established

  [1]E-Da Outlet Mallen.wikipedia.org

  E United Group established I-Shou University, the educational institution whose Chinese short name later contributed to the E-Da project’s identity.

A destination outlet mall and integrated leisure complex combining branded outlet retail, hotels, themed entertainment, dining, cultural programming, and tourism facilities.

• Outlet retail · 2010

  E-Da Outlet Mall

  The core retail component of E-DA World and a large multi-storey outlet-shopping complex. It offers international branded merchandise across fashion, sportswear, footwear, and related consumer categories, alongside restaurants, cinemas, and other visitor amenities. The mall’s European neoclassical architectural treatment distinguishes it from a standard enclosed shopping center and supports its role as a tourism-oriented destination.

• Theme park · 2010

  E-Da amusement park

  A themed amusement park opened as part of the E-DA World development. Its principal areas are Acropolis, Aegean Village, and Castle of Troy, with visual references to ancient Greece, the Aegean Sea, and the Trojan War. The park includes rides, restaurants, an opera-house-style venue, and the Aeropolis entrance area. Its attractions were expanded with a 3D ship swing in 2012 and a 5D upgrade in 2014.

• Theater and live entertainment · 2010

  E-DA Royal Theater

  A performance venue within the E-DA World complex with seating for more than 1,800 people. Its defining technical feature is a stage capable of rotating through 360 degrees. The venue provides regular daytime entertainment and hosts changing larger-scale events in the evening.

• Hotel · 2010

  E-Da Skylark Hotel

  One of the two hotels integrated into E-DA World. The property is reported to have 358 rooms and provides accommodation, restaurants, and facilities for meetings and events.

• Hotel · 2010

  E-Da Crowne Plaza Hotel

  The larger of the two hotels associated with the E-DA World site, reported to have 656 rooms. It includes restaurants and spaces for conferences, functions, and other events.

1. 1E-Da Outlet Mallen.wikipedia.org