Robert Niles
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Robert Niles

Paramount Park Spain awards construction contracts

November 8, 2013, 6:02 PM · It looks like the proposed Paramount Park in Spain might actually happen. The developer behind the proposed theme park, which would be built outside Alhama de Murcia, in southeast Spain, last week awarded two construction contracts for the park, valued at US$100 million.

Paramount Park
Artist's concept of Spain's Paramount Park

The smaller contract, worth about US$30 million, is for access roads and site prep for an accompanying commercial retail and hotel development. The other, US$70 million contract to Spanish construction company Ferrovial, is for the theme park itself.

Let's presume that the construction contract is simply for park site development and core facilities, and does not include actual attractions. The developer's press release promises "Murcia's Paramount Theme Park will have 35 to 40 super high tech attractions and hopes to welcome upwards of three million visitors each year from around the world."

Seventy million dollars buys you about one "super high tech attraction," not "35 to 40." Earlier press releases, from 2011, portrayed an ambitious line-up of attractions for the park, including four themed lands, a Spider-Man-like motion-base ride, a Star Tours clone, two shooter dark rides, at least one 4D show, an indoor boat ride, a rapids ride, and a high-speed launch coaster.

Skip to 3:11 in the video for an overview of the park, in Spanish:

The video describes four lands: Paseo Paramount, Rango's West (based on the animated film), Woodland Fantasy, and Plaza Futura. Hmmm, a main street, a frontier land, a fantasy land, and a tomorrow-themed land — where have we seen that before?

Highlights include a Mission: Impossible-themed motion base ride, Rango's Rapids, a Star Trek-themed Star Tours clone, and the space-themed roller coaster. If the park were to meet expectations and draw three million visitors a year, that would make it Europe's seventh-most popular park, behind the two parks at Disneyland Paris, Europa Park, Efteling, Tivoli Gardens, and Spain's Port Aventura, which is located more than 300 miles up the coast from the Paramount Park site.

The park's slated to open in late 2015. Thoughts?

Replies (6)

jchammond96
Jack Hammond
November 8, 2013 at 6:19 PM · It sounds like it is shaping up to be a cheap Disney park clone. Every ride sounds familiar, Star Tours, Space Mountain, 4d shows, etc.
It doesn't sound like a park I would go to, but it might be a successful local park, and draw in a few tourists to Spain. Who know's though, maybe it'll surprise me.
anonymous
69.118.95.59
November 8, 2013 at 7:01 PM · Well to be fair, any new theme park with Disney attraction standards and theming in mind, only improves and raises the standards of the theme park industry as a whole. So maybe it's for the best and the park would evolve over time...
anonymous
65.87.190.248
November 8, 2013 at 10:39 PM · Ok, I mention a Star Trek ride on "What next for Universal" article and everybody get's on Star Trek ain't what it used to be. Excuses like Star Trek is dead, too old, not enough people are seeing the new movies, but a Star Trek ride in this Spain park. Nobody gets on this Star Trek ride won't work bandwagon all the sudden. Well I making a stand. I believe Star Trek ride WILL work at a theme park. Let's remember Star Trek hasn't done well in the foreign market, until with this new movie. Also, it's a reset. A younger generation is getting to know this property for potential growth. And let's know forget, all these fanboys and Disney purist called Star Tour 2.0 a waste of time back in the day due to those lousy prequels. So, don't give me this Star Trek won't cut it guff. Yeah, the Vegas Trek stuff was cool, but I believe it open in the wrong market. Vegas is a party adult environment. And Trek Experience wasn't the only thing that close. Let's not forget MGM theme park and all those roller coasters like Speed and Stratosphere that now close too.
Here's a bit of inside info most people overlook about Star Trek problem not about the movie, but on ownership. Trek is park of a divorce between Paramount Pictures and CBS. Where Paramount has the right to the movies and CBS has all the TV stuff. This is the reason why this Spain park has the new reboot Star Trek ride cause it's from the new movies. They can't build all of the Star Trek ip. So, if we get a Star Trek ride here in the U.S. It's not where, but with whom? So, I won't go with this Trek can't bring it bull. Plus, I think most of the hate comes from people who don't like the reboot, even if they say they do. Mainly like the new Man of Steel movie. It's not the same thing they grew up with, so they must not like it or care about.
sugardaddyspears
Anthony J
November 10, 2013 at 8:25 PM · Who are they kidding? They can't build a theme park worth anything for that price.
anonymous
64.12.116.206
November 12, 2013 at 12:16 AM · They think 70 million is going to buy them a whole theme park loaded with high tech attractions? On which planet?
SC121
Sylvain Comeau
November 12, 2013 at 12:39 AM · They're trying to pretend that $70 million will buy a whole theme park full of high tech attractions? On what planet is that even remotely possible?

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