May 2008
The owners of Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach in England are working on plans for a £35 million (E44m/$69m) development called The Edge. The Pleasure Beach is one of four concerns bidding for a casino licence in Great Yarmouth and, if successful, would combine it at The Edge with activities including bowling, a restaurant and 800 car parking space. “This will extend both the season and the so called Golden Mile,” Pleasure Beach managing director Albert Jones tells Park World. “Like a lot of resorts we have lost the night-time trade.” In the meantime, plans are mooted to bring a 60-metre Ferris Wheel to the park later this 2008 season.
Cartoon Network Enterprises and Future Kid & Real Estate Co have entered into an agreement to build a branded Cartoon Network indoor theme park in Kuwait City. Scheduled to open later this year, the venture represents Cartoon Network’s first foray into branded amusement destinations within the Middle East. Covering more than 3,500 sq m, the park will include games, rides, costumed characters, shops and food and beverage outlets. It will join a network of 10 family entertainment centres owned by Future Kid & Real Estate across Kuwait. (tvtoday.wordpress.com)
Turner International India, an AOL Time Warner company, said it will launch its first theme park in the country by the end of 2008. Named after a children’s TV channel, Pogo Planet will be built near New Delhi. The Indian company Unitech has been cited as a partner. (Forbes.com)
Dubai-based development company Union Properties has secured the rights from Bernie Ecclestone to construct a series of F1 theme parks around the world, starting with a property in its own backyard. F1-X will be one of five components at MotorCity inside Dubailand’s Dubai Autodrome and should open next year. Plans, meanwhile, continue for a Ferrari theme park in the neighbouring emirate of Abu Dhabi. (Autoblog.com)
Germany’s Nurburgring Nordschleife is a Mecca for racing enthusiasts around the world, but now plans are underway to turn the area next to the circuit into a theme park. Scheduled to be opened late 2009, the star attraction will be a rollercoaster capable of accelerating from 0-217km/h in just 2.5 seconds. In addition to the coaster, organisers are also planning to build an go-kart track, science centre, museum, four-star hotel and event hall. (motorauthority.com)
