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London Entertainment Resort: All Discussion

Re: New UK theme park anyone? Paramount interested in UK

Totally brilliant!

This will give the Merlin parks competition IF it comes to fruition!

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I won't hold my breath as we have been here before with other projects but I really hope this happens as it will give Merlin a right good kick up the bum.
 
Already 3 years into the plan. Very interesting I wonder if they will have a height issue?
 
If this goes ahead, then I'm really excited for this! Not only will it (Hopefully) be a new park in the UK, but I live a stone's throw away from it! :D

But It probably won't become a reality thanks to nimbys :(

As said, it will be great as competition for Merlin and DLP
 
Re: New UK theme park anyone? Paramount interested in UK

It's an interesting project, we'll just have to see if it comes to fruition. Paramount sold their parks business to Cedar around six years ago, now it seems they want a slice of the pie again but on a licensing basis only, with other companies constructing and running the parks.

There's a bit of history to Paramount theme parks of late, some good, since bad. There's been a long awaited park in Korea which was due to open last year where construction hasn't even started. On the other hand, there's one in Murcia, Spain which seems to be of a similar size to the UK one at first glance which broke ground a few months ago.

I would seriously love to see a new park in the UK, especially with such strong IP potential as Paramount's films but planning hurdles and spiraling costs have me concerned as to whether we'll ever actually see anything.
 
Well, it certainly sounds interesting, and if it does go ahead, then I'd love to visit it! It's just off High Speed 1, and close to Ebbsfleet International station on that line, so access seems to have been taken care of. Will it be sustainable, though, and will NIMBYism get in the way? I hope not, although it may well do.
 
Do I spy a wooden roller coaster to the far left of that map?

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:D


Although Paramount wasn't top on my dream list of companies to build a park in the UK, it's still good news and hopefully it should give our theme park industry a much needed kick to get things moving again. Merlin have been creeping along, hogging the joint for too long and competition is exactly what we need!

I hope this goes ahead and Nimby's don't squash our chances at gaining what looks like a great new theme park!
 
I think that that may well be a woodie there, Al. :D *hopes that it will be built by GCI*
 
Here's a bigger image of the map:

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It definitely looks like a woodie. There's also a long, sprawling coaster in the top and another on the right.
 
This is the UK... where people complain about EVERYTHING. It'll never happen in this country. I'm not even going to waste my time reading the article. :(
 
Re: New UK theme park anyone? Paramount interested in UK

Would love this to happen, but fear the same as Diogo,

I fear we will never see a new theme park in the country.

Though if this does happen, that will be fantastic as Merlin will have to update there game plan and look after their UK investments,

It's perfectly possible that this could encourage Merlin and Alton to become almost EP standard in order to compete. In my opinion its always had the potential but no drive/funding from Merlin.

This could create that drive.

We will then end up with two massive resort parks, ill also guess Thorpe and Chessington will have to up their game being so close. Competition is always good in these circumstances!

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Re: New UK theme park anyone? Paramount interested in UK

Diogo, you're really over exaggerating and being silly. It IS possible to build major stuff in this country (Crossrail? Liverpool One?), especially under a Tory government. Given the current economic situation, I'm sure the government would be very keen for a project like this to go ahead. If Paramount want to go ahead, I'm pretty sure it'll happen at the planning end.

Seems unlikely though, didn't Paramount recently sell all their American parks? Would give Merlin a kick up the ****.

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Its not Paramount building it, its just using their brand under license.

As for Merlin if this goes ahead i can see a few scenarios.

1) Chessington will likely go to Rot

2) Merlin will either really push Thorpe at the price of Alton due to its geographic location to the new park OR really push Alton at the price of Thorpe due to its reputation and size.

will be very interesting.
 
Hewly Carp, a Transformers wing rider, some imported/copied Rugrats/Spongebob rides to give NL some competition, Titanic: The Experience as a madhouse worlds first something, the cow can still be milked! Friday the 13th and Paranormal Activity scare mazes, Crocodile Dundee lakes with a real crocodile zoo (forget H&S). A Jackass bungee, Mission: Imposible would also be a pretty sweet theatrical ride which I think Paramount could do well. South Park and Beavis and Butthead M-rated area, a area which pokes fun at itself. Marvel coasters and G.I Joe would be pretty easy to fit in too. And don't even get me started on Indiana Jones and Star Trek. And please near the entrance like Ice Blast is to BPB, a tall grand ride that most see first with... The Italian Job cliff flat ride! :p It'd be great to spot it from the Gherkin and the Eye. Too soon I know, but I can always dream...
Braveheart eateries where you slaughter your own meat pls.


I do hope it goes ahead as it gives us all a better chance of working in the industry and sounds like it would work in bringing tourists in with the possible changing climate and would clearly boost the economy. I do hope Merlin up their game by now but there love for IP's is ever increasing and still will especially upon the anticipation of this parks opening. I do hope this goes ahead as it will be great for this economy, especially as I don't see things recovering to late 2015 at the earliest anyway. I do fear a true Chessie demise though as LL has the LEGO brand and Thorpe with the thrill label, and now with immediate competition, they NEED to up there game and fast.
 
I'm quite confident this could go ahead, the relevant councils and business/pressure groups seem supportive, and the area is used to major redevelopment and projects with Bluewater (built in an old quarry) and Ebbsfleet International nearby.
This has a massive local market, it has the transport links and seems to have backing as well.

PS: I also think a similar site was once considered by Disney for their new EuroDisney park in the 80's.
 
Having now read the article, I'm now a bit confident about the chances of this opening than all the proposed new parks cropping up in Asia and Dubai. Remember, this is Britain - we have a much more developed and mature economy, so there's a lot less of the out-of-control ultra-fast boom and bust cycles that the Dubai parks seem to have fallen victim to. Like I said, NIMBYISM won't be a problem. If the government are confident that this really will add 27,000 jobs to the economy, they'll be chomping at the bit to get it green lit.

On the other hand, a lot of those new parks seem to basically be people with some cool concept art, pitching for investment, which is extremely unlikely to ever come. And the only reason they're in the news is in the hope that it'll attract investors. Could this be what this is as well? There is a bit about global investors at the bottom, but I hope that people will feel much more confident in investing in this, as it's clearly a proper well-thought-out plan in a financially reputable and reliable country, unlike Dubai.

Does anyone think the concept art's a bit weird? What's that huge thing in the middle, presumably a Toverland-esque 'indoor park'? But what's the blue canopy around it? Is that big blue blob at the bottom a water park? Maybe at the end of the day it'll look nothing like it, but that's one of the weirdest pieces of concept art for a new park I've ever seen. ???
 
Merlin will probably push the zoo side of Chessington much more, and evidence for this is the 2013 attraction. They could keep what rides they have and occasionally replace, update and buy new rides, but improving and expanding the zoo means that people will still go to Chessington because it still offers something unique from the other Merlin attractions nearby. It's also probably easier to expand the zoo as the locals don't really like rides. Or fun.

I actually don't really think it'd last long if it was sold to a company likely to be smaller than Merlin and they may know that themselves. Chessington could do with a lot of work and Merlin are the ones who can do it. Perhaps this will help Chessington rather than make it worse off.

I'm just trying to see things in a positive way for them. It'd break my heart to see Chessington die. :(


Edit: I've been reading around other forums and websites about this news and so far I've found nobody who objects to the idea, other than one person who'd rather see the entire thing indoors. :p

Here's to hoping that the locals are okay with it. I'm sure they'd rather have a new visitor attraction over what's currently occupying that huge expanse of land!
 
I do have the same feeling that Chessington will rot if (or when) this opens. Although hopefully this won't happen and people will still support the park (I definitely will) But who knows until after this is built.

But I really am excited for this project! I have a feeling it WILL be built. Nimbyism isn't too much of a problem because the area is very industrial and the nearest major settlements (Dartford and Gravesend) are a few miles away. Although Swanscombe (The nearest settlement to the park) is quite close, They has been a lot of development in the area over the past few years (High Speed one, Bluewater shopping centre for example).

This will have more benefits than problems. This park and the area itself becoming successful for these reasons:

1. Bluewater shopping centre (one of the largest in the UK) is close by as well as Lakeside shopping centre on the other side of the river

2. The park is JUST located outside the M25, allows good road access

3. Rail transport is very good, Swanscombe station is near the park (I think?) and is serve by trains from London Bridge, Charing Cross and Cannon Street. Ebbsfleet is served by international trains which allows even easier access.

4. Park is already located very close to London, not to mentioned trains coming in and out of the above mentioned stations have easy connections.

5. This will created 27,000 jobs! Which is something Britain needs badly

6. Will be great for local businesses as well as Bluewater (and most likely Lakeside), bringing in more money for them.

Not to mention that the concept art looks ace as well! Although as Sam said, things could change and we could get a completely different park.

Hopefully this gets built and I can't wait to go if it gets built! :D
 
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