Tyra Banks Is Opening A Disneyland For Models, So Start Practicing Your Smize

Tyra Banks took the world of modeling to the next level back in 2003 when she launched America's Next Top Model, and now the iconic supermodel is planning on doing it again with a bold and unprecedented new project. This time, Banks is looking to turn the supermodel experience into its own expansive attraction, inspired by theme parks like Disneyland and Universal Studios. Yep — Tyra Banks' Modelland is coming to Santa Monica this year, and it sounds like it will basically be the Disneyland for everyone who loves America's Next Top Model.

A lot of the details about what exactly Modelland will be is still something of a mystery, but Tyra Banks announced that the upcoming attraction is something she has been working on for a decade and it will be a 21,000 square foot space with multiple levels in Santa Monica, California. Inside this huge, multi-level structure, Modelland will contain multiple retail and dining options that Banks says will go beyond any typical experience. There is also the promise of an entertainment component to Modelland, although Banks was not ready to reveal the details on that just yet.

A statement on the newly launched Modelland website invites visitors to "redefine what a model really is and for people to be the dream versions of themselves" at the new attraction.

In conversation with Variety to announce her new project, Tyra Banks said that the inspiration for Modelland was massive theme parks like Disneyland and Universal Studios. She said that she wanted to use the grandeur and immersive experience of those amusement parks to invite everyone who has ever dreamed of being a model into the elusive world of fashion modeling:

I’ve always been insanely inspired by attractions like Disneyland and Universal Studios and have wanted to bring that spirit of adventure and storytelling to the world of modeling. But not the exclusive modeling industry. I’m talking about modeling for the masses.

Many of the details about Modelland have not yet been revealed. So far, all we really know about the space is that it will include several retail and dining options... but Tyra Banks promises it will be more than a shopping mall. It will definitely be interesting to see when more details about the entertainment elements of Modelland come to light to see how this space will be set apart from anywhere else.

Tyra Banks also teased the possibility of a reality television show revolving around Modelland, or another kind of television or streaming possibility with the park's IP.

In addition to launching Modelland, Tyra Banks also recently returned as the host for the 24th cycle of America's Next Top Model after taking one year away from the show. Banks also recently reprised her role as the living doll Eve for Freeform's Life-Size 2, which was released 18 years after the first movie.

Modelland is set to open in Macerich’s Santa Monica Place in late 2019, and Tyra Banks also said she has plans to expand the venture into other major cities following that.