Park News
parkworld-online.com
Slagharen lights up for October
The Dutch amusement park Slagharen is bringing down the curtain on its 50th anniversary season with a laser, pyrotechnic and water finale
every evening from 5 to 27 October, and also 2/3 November.
The multimedia show has been on the park’s wish list for some time and comes each night immediately after the Miracle of Lights parade (pictured right) that has provided a popular season closer for the past decade. Each evening, eight large cars, 50 dancers and millions of lights create a inviting for the eyes.
The new laser/light spectacular is performed near the entrance of the park and uses some of Slagharen’s existing features, including its fountains and unusual Schwarzkopf planet- shaped Apollo chair ride, as part of the show. "The show is designed so that everyone can stand in the centre and see it,” details commercial manager Niels Dijkstra. “Lasers on a sphere,
Gary Story
1955-2013 The former president and chief operating officer of Six Flags, Gary Story passed away on 21 September at his home in Edmond, Oklahoma. He was just 58.
Born on 14 August
1955, Story began his theme park career while still in high school, at St Louis Six Flags. After graduating from University of Missouri, he held various positions at the company before leaving to operate independent theme parks in Mexico City, Sydney, Australia and Oklahoma City.
Gary and his business partner Kieran Burke founded Premier Parks in the mid 1980s, with the acquisition of Frontier City Amusement Park in Oklahoma City. He drove the growth of Premier Parks from one park into the largest regional theme park operator in the world, acquiring the Six Flags chain of parks in 1998 and two years later rebranding the company Six Flags Inc. At its peak, the group operated 39 parks and waterparks in eight countries. Story, a 40-year industry veteran who departed from Six Flags in 2004, served as an active volunteer for many years with IAAPA, including a spell as chairman in 2004/5. More recently he returned to the industry through his participation in the ownership. together with Burke of Nashville Shores waterpark, Tennessee, Ocean Breeze Water Park, Virginia, and Clementon Park and Splash World, New Jersey.
Gary Story is survived by his wife, Lorena, and three children, Paul, Katherine and Scott.
10 Warner Beach
for Madrid Parque Warner outside Madrid, Spain, is to construct a 30,000-square-metre waterpark. Opening June 2014, it will boast capacity for up to 4,000 daily guests and is expected to be operated as a second gate to the main theme park. The €8.5 million ($11.5m) Warner Beach facility will feature two wave pools, a lazy river and two water playgrounds in addition to a solarium, retail facilities and two restaurants. Looney Tunes and Hanna Barbera characters such as Bugs Bunny and Scooby- Doo will feature in the park’s theming. Built by Six Flags, Parque Warner opened in 2002 as Warner Bros Movie World Madrid. It is now owned and operated by Parques Reunidos, which also runs the city’s established Parque de Atracciones Madrid, which next season will open a Nickelodeon kids area – as already featured at the group’s Movie Park in Germany.
parquewarner.com
water curtains, fountains, fireworks, projected laser
animations and music – it is a unique spectacle."
Miracle of Lights was created by DTL Laser Technology from The Netherlands, which already lights up Rotterdam’s
famous Euromast tower with a blue glow, as well as providing light animations for several years at Darien Lake Theme Park in New York.
slagharen.com
Merlin enters Istanbul
Merlin Entertainments has acquired Istanbul’s Turkuazoo aquarium, giving the group a foothold in the burgeoning Turkish attractions market. The deal was completed for an undisclosed sum with former operator Global Aquariums BV, based in The Netherlands. According to a Merlin spokesperson, the company views the acquisition as the catalyst to potentially develop a cluster of its ‘Midway’ (short stay) attractions in the city. Merlin already operates the world’s largest aquarium brand – Sea Life – which currently hosts around 14 million visitors a year at its 45 global outlets. The company now
plans to upgrading and expanding the Turakazoo facilities at the Istanbul Forum Mall.
Madame Tussauds
Beijing Madame Tussauds is to get a fourth outlet in China following a deal between Merlin Entertainments and Beijing developer SOHO China. Madame Tussauds Beijing is scheduled to open in 2014 close to Tiananmen Square. The new attraction in the Chinese capital will become the 16th Madame Tussauds worldwide, joining existing operations in Shanghai, Hong Kong and, opened on 28 September, Wuhan. Merlin has identified China as its most important development market, and also plans to develop its Sea Life aquarium business there.
OCTOBER 2013
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