New theme park & resort in The Netherlands?

[iplf]

Here's the information given by the Dutch and Belgian press:

 

- First park will be open by 2014 (to be completed around 2017).

- First park will cost about 800 million euro and will have a resort.

- First park will be Grand Canyon-themed and will be more a theme park than an attraction park.

- Owner & inventor of the parks is Jean Gelissen from TOVERLAND

- The goal is to create 7 parks about the 7 wonders of the world (Great Barrier, Mount Everest, Grand Canyon, Paricutinvolcano, Rio De Janeiro Bay, Victoria Waterfalls, Northern Lights)

- The parks will be located in Brunssum, The Netherlands.

 

2 local press articles (in Dutch):

http://www.hbvl.be/limburg/xl/grand-canyon-pretpark-ter-grootte-van-disneyland-in-brunssum.aspx

http://www.limburger.nl/article/20101125/REGIONIEUWS05/101129790/1006#Mega-attractiepark_in_Brunssum_gepland

 

A video (in Dutch):

http://www.zie.nl/video/algemeen/Plan-voor-spectaculair-themapark-in-Brunssum/m1fzs2fft658

 

Concept-art:

[DBJ]

Looks like an interesting concept. Although I have to question the logic of attempting to replicate the grand canyon and hoover dam, just because of the cost. It does to me seem like the theme is overwhelming the entertainment aspects of the park.

 

For example, the artificial lake they are creating with the dam has no entertainment value exceptfor scenery? It would be great if the replica of the dam actually had a mack flume going down the center of it. I don't see a river raft ride anywhere in the plan, and that's a common experience in the real canyon.

 

Also, a drop ride off the edge of the faux Canyon would be great. A swing that goes out over the ledge or something. Just looking at the attractions planned, none of the rides really need / interact with the grand canyon (height/depth) setting.

 

It will be interesting to see the park develop and what the scale of the natural wonders of the world that they create.

[hyyyper]

^The terrain is already there. The area used to be a mine. Converting it into the Grand Canyon/Hoover Dam would not cost that much.

[Groteslurf]

Exiting news. Hope this really will become reality.

[abstruse]

An American natural wonder... in The Netherlands? Interesting.. I'll have to keep an eye on this.

 

Is this already in the place of a river, or near a body of water? Or is this whole thing artificial? (Excluding the "mine" part mentioned above.)

[tiger01]

I like the idea of theming the parks to the seven wonders of the world! This could be some amazing chain. Will Toverland be included if there are any speial deals on all the parks. Like plopsa.

[larrygator]

Will Toverland be included if there are any speial deals on all the parks. Like plopsa.

 

Do you really think this would be announced 3.5 years before the park opens?

[SharkTums]

The fact that the Toverland guy is involved in this project makes me thing it's pretty much a sure thing as that guy seems to have more money than he knows what to do with! Can't wait to see what ends up happening!

[jray21]

Hope it works out! Another reason to head back to the Land of Dutch!

[Erik_73]

The fact that the Toverland guy is involved in this project makes me thing it's pretty much a sure thing as that guy seems to have more money than he knows what to do with! Can't wait to see what ends up happening!

 

The guy is a very good business man but I don't think that he will invest all his money in this plan. It might be a good sign that he is involved so it can attract other investors.

According to Quote (the Dutch Forbes magazine) the guy has a capital between the 6 and 10 milion euro; this is far away from the needed 800 milion as posted in the original thread.

 

I have no believe this plan... I even believe that Kat will relocate the Big Dipper before this new themepark gets realized

[SharkTums]

^Oh man, that's harsh!

 

But I kind of give the guy a little bit of credit for being smart enough not to bite off more than he can chew and trying to use other peoples money instead of his own!

[iplf]

Some more pictures about the Grand Canyon park:

 

 

 

[Trumple]

A nice overview of this new theme park:

 

Click!

[Erik_73]

The local government will contribute 450,000.00 euro (= 591,374.35 USD) in this pie in the sky . If they only came short I could understand that the local government would join but without the majority of the 8 million covered this is pure madness

 

Please, stop waisting my tax money!!!

[Ledgy]

I understand what you mean Erik, since they made this 2 times in Germany. The biggest waste was Universal Studios Germany at Krefeld And then it was their wasting of time, to get an decission and some protests of the civil, that this Park was never built

 

But in this case I like how they wast your money and hope, it will be built

 

Here is the link to Council Committee Meeting Agenda of December 1, 2010 with an interesting PDF. But it´s more interesting for the dutch people, since we can´t understand the language

 

I guess this picture shows how they want to connect the "Grand Canyon" Part to the rest of the Resort, they would like to built in the future:

 

It seems, that the project goes another small step, like De Limburger dagblad mentioned on Dec. 9th 2010. Like I understand and translated - with an online translater = really bad - they town has given the permission to build the park; that means it´s more save and helpful, to find more investors? Please correct me, if I´m wrong with this information.

 

Groen licht Nature Wonder World

 

De gemeenteraad van Brunssum is in grote meerderheid akkoord gegaan met de aankoop van het concept Nature Wonder World en financiering van een diepgravend haalbaarheidsonderzoek om in de gemeente te beginnen.

door onze verslaggever BRUNSSUM

 

Wethouder Eric Geurts reageerde opgetogen. Groen licht van de raad was essentieel om het vertrouwen van ondernemer/initiatiefnemer Jean Gelissen en andere financiers te behouden. Vier raadsleden stemden tegen: drie van BBB/Palmen en Servie L'Espoir (PAK).

---------------------------------------------------------------

Green light Nature Wonder World

 

The city of Brunssum was overwhelmingly approved the acquisition of the concept Nature Wonder World and funding of a thorough feasibility study in the church to begin.

by our reporter BRUNSSUM

 

Alderman Eric Geurts was delighted. Green light from the council was essential to trust the entrepreneur / promoter Jean Gelinas and other funders to maintain. Four council members voted against three of BBB / Palms Serbia and L'Espoir (PAH).

 

Look at this small PDF-Presentation, there are some interesting concept arts: www.brunssum.nl

And if you have a greater look at the Resort Concept Art in a higher resolution, like I finde here, you can see 4 interesting rollercoaster in this project:

Here are 2 of them (one Wooden and one Indoor Coaster)

And here are the 3rd and 4th. (Looks like a B&M Dive Machine)