BRC Imagination Arts has been chosen to conceptualise, design and produce the show content for the USA Pavilion at Shanghai World Expo 2010. Ground breaking took place on June 17.
The UK’s Amusement Device Inspection Procedures Scheme (ADIPS) has announced the appointment of Luke Ditchburn to the newly created position of general manager. Prior to joining ADIPS, he was facilities and operations manager for Northumberland County Council. “I’ll be working closely with ADIPS members and clients to ensure they are provided with the best possible service and that we continue to run a scheme that is the envy of the industry in many other countries around the world,” says Ditchburn. He joins the organisation at a time when reported incidents on amusement rides in the country are at their lowest level for many years.
Bombay Amusement Rides (BARPL) is to build a 25-metre Ferris Wheel inside a shopping mall/entertainment centre near Mumbai. The ride will span three floors of the mall and be built up against a glass wall, allowing riders to see both inside and outside the building. The project is expected to open in the next 18 months.
The Chinese ride manufacturer Golden Horse Amusement is one of the latest companies to build a Star Flyer-type attraction. Its version of the ride is called the Tower Challenge. Standing 38-metres tall it will open soon at an unnamed amusement park in China.
Forrec is currently working on the design of a world-class leisure and retail development in Tianjin, China. The RMB4 billion ($585m/E413m) project comprises a skyscraper, hotel, shopping mall and entertainment complex. Forrec’s Anthony Van Dam describes the location as “phenomenal” and adds that the development will become “a showcase for the city.” The client is the Tianjin Mao Investment & Development Company.
The Vitala Group has signed a contract with OK Consulting to finance and develop a 100-room hotel, golf course and children’s farm in Harkány, Hungary. Including comprehensive spa and wellness facilities, the property will cater to those in search of medical tourism and could serve as the launch pad for a chain of similar projects throughout Hungary and Eastern Europe. Opening is scheduled for the end of 2011.
The German family park Tripsdrill has been recognised as the country’s most customer friendly leisure facility by Hamburg’s Institute for Service and Quality. Located in beautiful surroundings just outside of Stuttgart, the park was praised for its overall ambiance, the service of its staff, waiting times on the attractions and user-friendly website. The park, which is operated by the Fischer family, this year celebrates its 80th anniversary season.
A gigantic snake on top of the entrance arch and rock work around the queue line represent some of several scenic features completed by TAA for the new Vertigo coaster at Parque de Attracciones de Madrid in the Spainish capital. TAA, which has its headquarters in the city, fabricates at its own factory in Romania. The new ride in Madrid is a Mack Wild Mouse originally installed as part of a twin ride set-up at sister park Bobbejaanland in Belgium.
Lo-Q has signed an agreement with Isla Mágica in Seville, Spain, to supply its Text-Q ride reservation system. This latest installation takes advantage of the product’s new multi-language capability and park guests with mobile phones to reserve their place in line on their eight rides from anywhere in the park. Users are notified of their ride time by text message/SMS, and so have more time to enjoy other areas of the park while they wait.
A new horror attraction is to be created in the grounds of an English farm this autumn. AtmosFEAR! Scare Attractions plans to operate the Scare Kingdom Scream Park on a 10- acre site at Hawkshaw Farm Park at Clayton-le-Dale near Preston from October 22 onwards, with a fireworks finale on November 5.
