• ℹ️ Heads up...

    This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.

London Entertainment Resort: All Discussion

I know these tie-ins come and go, but there does appear to be a little more momentum to this recently. The new CEO is speaking at a BlooLoop convention soon as well.

Whilst doom-mongering is really easy (and I’m normally the first on that bandwagon), it would be fantasy for this to actually come off. Even if it’s to provide some much needed competition to the Merlin-opoly.
 
venny said:
I know these tie-ins come and go, but there does appear to be a little more momentum to this recently. The new CEO is speaking at a BlooLoop convention soon as well.
Click to expand...
I was thinking exactly the same thing @venny! There certainly seems to have been a resurgence in news as of late.

Someone raised a very good point in the Epic Universe thread that could relate to this development; new parks typically take many years of planning and often entail many design changes before the final product begins to take shape. Maybe LRDC just decided to make the development public very early on in the development stages, which could explain why we've heard about so many changes?

I am one of the few people who is yet to lose faith in this project. It will happen.
 
DiogoJ42 said:
What exactly would it take to make you lose your faith, out of interest? An official announcement that it was over? The site being turned in to 3,500 "luxury apartments"? World War Three?
Click to expand...
Official confirmation that it was cancelled, which is yet to occur and I'm sure won't occur!
 
They put so much money into the project already they can’t afford for it to fail before it even got off the ground. Then with Alton Towers offering season passes for £56 they won’t be able to charge much more than that per ticket or the guests won’t come.
 
Matt N said:
I was thinking exactly the same thing @venny! There certainly seems to have been a resurgence in news as of late.

Someone raised a very good point in the Epic Universe thread that could relate to this development; new parks typically take many years of planning and often entail many design changes before the final product begins to take shape. Maybe LRDC just decided to make the development public very early on in the development stages, which could explain why we've heard about so many changes?

I am one of the few people who is yet to lose faith in this project. It will happen.
Click to expand...

Just read the last few posts before yours and knew you’d pop up with some optimism!

Still not happening though mate!
 
Deja vu! I take it the deal with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is dead then.

The only winner in is so far is the Kent Live newspaper. They haven't seen so much traffic since "Old Man Yells At Cloud".

14 Aug 2019

Radisson Hotel Group agrees landmark partnership with entertainment destination The London Resort

Radisson Hotel Group, one of the world’s leading hotel groups, is pleased to announce an exciting partnership with The London Resort, a global entertainment destination due to open in 2024. Radisson Hotel Group will become a stakeholder in the project, opening a Radisson Blu hotel – Europe’s leading upper upscale hotel brand – in the 535-acre resort in Kent, UK, accessible from London in only 20 minutes.

The London Resort recently announced it has reignited its partnership with Paramount Picture Corporation, with the aim of combining the best of Hollywood with the best of British entertainment to create amazing and unique experiences for the whole family. The resort will be one of the biggest themed entertainment resorts in Europe and will include a theme park, water park, cinema, theatre, hotels, restaurants, retail outlets and more.

Elie Younes, Executive Vice President & Chief Development Officer, Radisson Hotel Group, said: "We are delighted to be part of such an iconic and unique project that is breaking new ground and bringing together an exciting mix of global brands. We strive to create memorable experiences for our guests, and this is the perfect opportunity to do just that.”

PY Gerbeau, Chief Executive of London Resort Company Holdings (LRCH), said: “Radisson Hotel Group’s commitment to the resort represents a significant milestone and is testimony to the absolute conviction the team has to deliver this project. We are thrilled they have bought into our vision to create a totally unique entertainment destination and can’t wait to work with their team.

“Radisson Hotel Group will be bringing films and characters to life in what will be an unforgettable hotel experience and will complement the incredible experiences and attractions Paramount Studios will also be bringing to the resort.”

The 430-room Radisson Blu hotel will provide the perfect base from which visitors can explore The London Resort, while featuring a bar and restaurant as well as large meeting and event spaces. There will also be leisure facilities, including a spa and swimming pool, so guests can unwind and relax after a fun-filled day in the resort.

The London Resort will be ideally located, close to Ebbsfleet station, which sits on the Eurostar line – meaning visitors can travel to or from London in 20 minutes, as well as to or from Paris and Brussels in around two hours.

Source
 
Hoping tie-in wouldn't preclude proper themed accommodation. A tacky Radisson would seem ill-fitting putting it in comparison with the likes of Universal and Disney's on-site offerings.
 
Alastair said:
Hoping tie-in wouldn't preclude proper themed accommodation. A tacky Radisson would seem ill-fitting putting it in comparison with the likes of Universal and Disney's on-site offerings.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't worry about that too much! Universal has similar deals with the likes of Loews (I think they're a hotel chain?) and other hotel chains to operate their hotels in Orlando, and they seem nicely themed!
 
Matt N said:
Official confirmation that it was cancelled, which is yet to occur and I'm sure won't occur!
Click to expand...

I believe the official cancellation announcement is scheduled for 1st November 2019.

Themeparksandy1981 said:
They put so much money into the project already they can’t afford for it to fail before it even got off the ground.
Click to expand...

Paramount Park Spain says hi!
 
Oh god they got someone who actually exists on the internet outside company websites.

But he hasn't got the best of portfolios with Euro Disney and Millennium Dome. And we all know how well they went down...

EDIT: The Times Article
PY Gerbeau took over the running of the London Resort project as chief executive in June. “We’re going to have to fight a lot of battles to get this done,” he says during his brief time running the Millennium Dome in 2000.

But whenever he was having a particularly bad day, he would simply lock the door of the leaky Portakabin he used as his office and spend an hour walking around the site. “It would just give me a boost,” he says. “It’s the best job in life to get paid to make people happy.

That’s the beauty of the leisure, hospitality, entertainment business. I love it, PY Gerbeau says he was “slaughtered” in the press almost on a daily basis. For ten months he was the butt of personal ridicule and public outrage, and he claims he was used as a scapegoat by politicians for the financial chaos that enveloped what he calls “my little tent”.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
The article in The Times is actually substantially longer than the paywall-free preview posted above. The key points:

- PY Gerbeau thinks there’s a maximum 70-80% chance the park will be built, less if there’s a no-deal Brexit
- There will be ‘three or four’ major rollercoasters (the first time we’ve heard any specifics about rides), and a variety of Generation Z-friendly attractions like an e-sports arena
- Tickets will be in the £55-£60 ballpark
- The al-Humaidi family (who’ve spent £65m on this so far) admitted to Gerbeau the project was in ‘quite a lot of trouble’ before he was hired
- None of Gerbeau’s team/aides will join the project until planning permission is granted

As an interesting aside, Gerbeau also reveals he tried (unsuccessfully) in the last few years to buy Parques Reunidos - the owners of Movie Park Germany, Mirabilandia et al.
 
Last edited:
I have some fresh positivity for you all regarding this project; 2 days ago, this rather interesting Blooloop article was released interviewing PY Gerbeau, the director behind the park: https://blooloop.com/features/py-gerbeau-london-resort-plans/

Some of the more interesting points mentioned include:
  • 70% of the attractions will be undercover, which will allow year-round operation.
  • They want to file for planning permission in the first quarter of 2021, with opening still forecast for 2024.
  • Gerbeau would like a second theme park in the resort by 2029.
Exciting stuff; my optimism for the project has increased now we have actual specifics regarding park lineup and things!

My optimism has also increased because I feel as though the project seems to have gained momentum again as of late after somewhat of a lull; I've certainly seen a lot more updates lately! Specifics are also a good sign that things are going well, and PY Gerbeau is not exactly short of experience in building theme parks of this scale!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top