DIVE BAHRAIN OFFICIALLY OPENS OFF THE COAST OF BAHRAIN

BY GABRIELLE

Diving enthusiasts can now head to Bahrain to enjoy the world’s largest underwater theme park, known as Dive Bahrain.

The official opening of the site comes after a 70-metre Boeing 747 was successfully submerged at the underwater theme park.

The aircraft sits around 20 metres under water and is the largest plane ever to be deliberately submerged in the sea.

Dive Bahrain is an eco-friendly waterpark and the sustainable Boeing 747 attraction will provide a haven for sea-life to flourish and will help encourage fresh growth of coral.

Dive Bahrain spans over an area of 10,000 sq.mt. The site is located not far from Bahrain International Airport, just off the coast.

Other attractions submerged at Dive Bahrain include artificial coral reefs, a 900-sq.mt. traditional Bahraini peal merchant’s house, and a number of eco-friendly sculptures.

The site is also designed to raise awareness of marine preservation and provide researchers with information on sea life biology and ecology.

Speaking about the launch, HE Zayed bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism and chairman of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), said: “We are proud to launch this unique eco-friendly project in partnership with local diving companies, the Supreme Council for Environment and the private sector.

“The new theme park will undoubtedly emerge as a global tourist attraction. The world-class project covers an extensive area and will provide an unforgettable experience for both tourists and diving enthusiasts alike,” HE Zayed bin Rashid Al Zayani continued.

DREAM ISLAND COMPLETES INSTALLATION OF ‘HAMMER OF DOOM’ RIDE

BY GABRIELLE

Dream Island has confirmed it has completed the installation of its new ‘Hammer of Doom’ attraction in the ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ area of the Moscow theme park.

‘Hammer of Doom’ is a giant swing ride, described as one of the most extreme rides at Dream Island. Thrill-seekers sit with their backs to one another on a round landing disk, which begins to swing and turns riders upside down.

The attraction can seat 32 passengers and reaches a maximum height of 15.6 metres.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles area of the theme park replicates New York. The zone is due to be completed in October 2019.

As well as three attractions, including the ‘Drop Tower Ride’, the ‘Launch Coaster’ and the ‘Hammer of Doom’, the themed zone will feature gift shops, three fast food outlets and an Antonio’s Pizzeria. The area will also feature a ‘Ninjutsu School.’

The addition of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles area takes the total themed zones at Dream Island to eight, with the park comprising of 27 rides, themed restaurants, cafes and shops.

LEGOLAND ANNOUNCES NEW LEGOLAND RESORT IN SICHUAN, CHINA

BY GABRIELLE

Merlin Entertainments has announced it has joined forces with Global Zhongjun Cultural Tourism Development, to build and operate a Legoland Resort in China’s Sichuan province.

Merlin will operate the new resort and Global Zhongjun will run the construction and infrastructure of the project.

Two themed hotels will feature at the resort, with approximately 500 rooms.

Nick Varney, Merlin Entertainments’ CEO, commented: “There’s no doubt that China represents a great opportunity for strong global brands.

“Having been active in China for over a decade, Merlin has gained critical insights into Chinese consumers and built a broad portfolio of Midway attractions within key cities.

“Leveraging this position, we’re delighted to be able to announce the development of a Legoland Park in Sichuan Province together with a strong partner in Global Zhongjun.

“It is an exciting prospect and a significant milestone in the expansion of the Legoland estate in China,” Varney added.

Merlin Entertainments’ chief development officer said: “Sichuan Province has a strong tradition of welcoming people from all over, which aligns closely to our values as a business.

“Within it, Chengdu, Meishan and the Tianfu New Area is developing at a rapid pace driven by investment, enterprise and, increasingly, its popularity as a tourist destination.

“Our partner is a leading developer of tourism in the region with a great track record in delivering scale projects, and we look forward to working with them and the local community to bring the Legoland Resort experience to guests in Western China.”

Legoland Sichuan is due to open in 2023. It will be Merlin Entertainment’s eleventh Lego-themed park and will be the biggest Legoland resort in the world.

EUROPA-PARK IMMERSED IN A SPOOKY HALLOWEEN

BY GABRIELLE

With cracking skeletons, ghostly ghouls, and other sinister figures roaming around, there’s plenty of spooky fun taking place at Europa-Park, Germany’s largest theme park.

Every aspect of the theme park, including the shows, attractions, parades and food, have adapted a Halloween theme, which runs from September 28 to November 3, 2019.

Visitors over the age of 16 can visit the ‘Horror Nights – Traumatica’, a multi-award event that takes place in a post-apocalyptic world.

Augmenting the creepy atmosphere of the park will be 180,000 pumpkins scattered about, alongside 3,000 bales of straw, spider trees and a wealth of ghostly illuminations.

A pumpkin exhibition is being held in the Castle Park, where guests can witness works of art made from pumpkins and autumn flowers.

Another key highlight is a series of handmade sculptures made from sand that are erected around the Tiroler Log Flume.

The whole family can meet the monsters and other chilling creatures in the Europa-Park Halloween Parade.

Guests of all ages can also immerse themselves in the park’s 4D Magic Cinema, and watch the 4D movie, ‘Ed & Edda in ‘Chaos in Wonderland,’ featuring Euromaus and friends.

PARADROPVR LAUNCHES AT LANDMARK GROUP’S TRIDOM AMUSEMENT PARK, INDIA

BY GABRIELLE

ParadropVR, the immersive adventure attraction, has launched at Tridom, Landmark Group’s new 70,000 sq. ft. indoor amusement park located in the Sarath City Capital Mall in Hyderabad, India

Visitors to the Indian theme park will able to experience the thrill of virtual reality paragliding on the ParadropVR.

ParadropVR invites thrill-seekers to embark on an interactive skill-based game that centred on a thrilling immersive adventure.

The launch of the immersive adventure attraction was immediately well received by guests who went on the ride at Tridom.

Citymax Hotels India, a Landmark Group division, operates Tridom in India, which home to many innovative indoor rides and interactive games.

Silvio Liedtke, Landmark Group’s CEO, commented: “We’re delighted to be launching India’s first ParadropVR at Tridom. Our goal is to offer the most innovative, exciting and state-of-the-art games and experiences to teens and kids, so it really is a great fit.”

Matt Wells, CEO of Frontgrid, shares Liedtke’s enthusiasm, stating:

“Since launching in 2017, ParadropVR has quickly established itself as the leading adventure attraction for leisure and entertainment brands. We’re delighted to be working with Citymax Hotels India and Landmark Group at this exciting new location and look forward to seeing the results.”

This is the first installation of ParadropVR in India and follows the launch of the first ParadropVR City Flyer at the King Power Mahanakhon in Bangkok.

Further installations of the immersive attraction are planned for 2019, including at the Genting Highlands Resort in Malaysia.

During IAAPA Expo Europe in Paris in September, four new ParadropVR games were previewed, including the new City Flyer and Desert Flyer experiences.

The attractions was well received at the show, with around 300 visitors coming to experience the ride.

INTU COSTA DEL SOL GETS THE GO AHEAD IN SPAIN

 BY GABRIELLE

Intu, owner of several of the largest and most popular retail sites in Spain and the UK, has been given the green light to build an ambitious new retail and entertainment venue on the Costa del Sol in southern Spain.

The company has announced it has been awarded a General ‘PGOU’ License (Plan General de Ordenación Urbana), paving the way to take the project to the next level.

The €800m retail and leisure resort will stretch for 2.5 million sq.ft, offering visitors “world-class experiences in hospitality, leisure and retail.

Intu Costa del Sol will feature eight distinct neighbourhoods, including 142,000 sq.m of retail space, more than 70 restaurants, 20-plus leisure operators, two hotels and a concert venue with a 5,000-seat capacity. It will also be home to the largest farm in Spain.

Intu’s chief executive, Matthew Roberts, commented: “This significant milestone opens the door to the next stage of the project. Intu Costa del Sol will be a resort like no other, bringing together international brands and global visitors in an unforgettable location surrounded by the very best in entertainment and leisure.

“We are having positive discussions with brands eager to join the scheme, as well as potential partners to help bring the project to fruition,” Roberts continued.

Talking about the licence milestone for the development, Ian Sandford, chief executive of Intu’s JV partner Eurofund and project director, commented: “The General License is an incredibly important milestone for the Intu Costa del Sol project, and we are delighted to have received this backing and endorsement from the Junta de Andalucía, validated by the City of Torremolinos. We now advance our plan and vision with renewed energy.”

The site will be located to the north of the popular tourist destination, Torremolinos, 3km from Malaga Airport.

Intu Costa del Sol is expected to attract more than 23 million guests annually. The site is due to open in 2023.

SIMWORX LAUNCHES TWO NEW PRODUCTS AT IAAPA EXPO EUROPE

 BY GABRIELLE

Simworx, a world leader in the design, manufacture and development of simulation attractions, has officially launched two new products. The product launches took place at this year’s IAAPA Expo Europe in Paris.

During a press conference at the event, Simworx launched the AVG Dark Ride and the Mini Flying Theatre.

Void of tracks and power cables so that the vehicles can roam freely along programmed paths, the AVG Dark Ride is described as being set to “push boundaries of the genre.”

The freshly launched Mini Flying Theatre is to open its first installation at the Baosun Wildlife Park in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Simworx also took the opportunity to promote its new Metro of Time attraction, and other attractions at IAAPA Expo Europe, which takes guests on a time travel adventure in fully themed metro carriages.

During their time in Paris, Simworx also attended the Park World Excellence Awards, where the company received the prestigious Industry Icon Manufacturer/Supplier Award. The award is presented to companies that play a significant role in the success of the attractions industry in Europe.

Edward Pawley, sales director at Simworx, commented: “We had another busy year with a lot of interest being shown in the new AVG Dark Ride and the Mini Flying Theatre.

“These are exceptional additions to the product range, and we are already talking to a number of potential customers about them.

“The Metro of Time was also well received, while the fully operational ParadropVR we had on the booth also proved popular and was in constant use. All in all, it was a successful few days, topped off by the awards we also received.”

ANDREAS ANDERSEN RETURNS AS CEO OF LISEBERG

BY GABRIELLE

Andreas Andersen has been appointed, once more, as CEO of Liseberg amusement park in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Andersen announced he was stepping down as Liseberg’s CEO in April this year, in order to spend more time with his family. He had been CEO of the theme park since February 2011.

Liseberg has promised to offer Andersen greater flexibility in his reappointed role.

More than 300 applicants applied for the position but, as Liseberg’s chairman Christer Holmgren, said, Andreas Andersen is the best.

On the announcement of his reappointment, Holmgren said: There were many good candidates among those who applied, but Andreas is the best in the industry and meets all the criteria we had set for the position.

“We are extremely happy to be able to connect with him again.”

Andreas Andersen commented on announcement: “It was with a heavy heart that I decided in the spring to leave Liseberg.

“I love the business and didn’t really feel ready with the exciting journey Liseberg is on. I also feel a great responsibility to complete what we have started.

“We have a wonderfully talented organisation that runs the projects, and when I resigned myself this spring, the progress felt safe and obvious, but things happen all the time and I would love to be part of and calm down what we started in port,” Andersen added.

Andersen will resume his role as Liseberg CEO on October 1.

MOSCOW’S DREAM ISLAND INSTALLS THREE MORE ATTRACTIONS

 BY GABRIELLE

Dream Island theme park in Moscow has installed three more attractions in its thematic zone known as ‘The Lost World of Dinosaurs,’ also referred to as ‘Mowgli in the Land of Dinosaurs.’

The recently installed rides include the ‘City of Apes’, the ‘Cobra’ and ‘Dinosafari.’ The new attractions in what is the largest thematic zone at Dream Island, are designed for all the family.

The ‘City of Apes’ is a 12-cart carousel. The ‘Cobra’ features spinning seats on a large disk, and ‘Dinosafari’ comprises of safari jeep style cars that go along a 100-metre track that meanders through a jungle.

Dream Island’s technical director, Ivan Shol, commented on the new attractions.

“Mowgli in the Land of Dinosaurs is one of the most interesting areas of the theme park, which is not like the others.

“It’s the largest in area at 13,000 square meters. The characters were designed and painted by Russian artists specifically for Dream Island.

“Thirdly, it is also the most diverse part of the park: it immediately housed eight attractions – this is more than in other thematic areas.

“Lovers of adrenaline, fans of a relaxing holiday, both adults and children can find entertainment to their taste,” Shol added.

Moscow’s Dream Island features eight different thematic zones, with a total of 27 rides ranging from a dark coaster, family-friendly rides and extreme rides.

GUSTAVO ANTORCHA RESIGNS AS SEAWORLD’S CEO

BY GABRIELLE

SeaWorld Entertainment has announced the company’s CEO, Gustavo Antorcha, is to resign as CEO, after being in the position for just seven months.

Antorcha has also resigned as a board of directors’ member.

Marc Swanson, CFO of SeaWorld, has been appointed as interim CEO. Stepping into Swanson’s shoes is Elizabeth Castro, who has been promoted from chief accounting officer to interim CFO.

Antorcha says he will assist SeaWorld in the smooth transition of appointing its next CEO.

“While I may have a difference of approach, I continue to believe in SeaWorld’s strategy, mission, team and prospects.

“Marc and Elizabeth are fine leaders, and I am confident in their abilities to guide the company forward,” said Antorcha.

Scott Ross, chairman of SeaWorld’s board of directors, said:

“We thank Gus for his contributions and wish him well in his future endeavours.

“We know Marc and Elizabeth will be excellent leaders in their new roles and will continue to successfully drive the business forward.

“Marc has been with the company for 19 years and has a deep understanding of the company, its parks and its strategy.

“He has been a key contributor to the success of the business for several years. Elizabeth has been with the company for seven years and has extensive knowledge of the company and its financial profile,” Ross added.