You may have heard the London resort being dubbed “UK's Disneyland” by media outlets around the world, which looks as though it may soon join the growing list of failed entertainment projects in England after a turbulent ride through the early stages of its conception.
Taking direct inspiration from Disneyland Paris, the London Resort is planned as a theme park and entertainment complex that will see the total transformation of a 465-hectare plot of land in Swanscombe, Kent.
In the years since it was announced as the UK's next big entertainment proposition, the London resort has had a very difficult road through its planning, struggling to get out of even the early stages of development.
Since the project appears to be on hold for now, let's take a look at what we know about the London resort…
What is a London resort?
First proposed in 2012, the London resort would see the development of two theme parks, a conference centre, an e-sports facility and more, all designed in the hope of boosting tourism in the UK.
The London resort also aims to create the largest indoor water park in Europe along with several other entertainment outlets such as live music venues and hotels.
This ambitious and exciting project was commissioned by Paramount, as it sought to open its own theme park complex in the UK. Initially titled London Paramount Entertainment Resort, the theme park would have been centered around a number of Paramount's most exciting properties.
But sadly this was never meant to happen, as 2017 will see Paramount exit the project and officially change the name to The London Resort. Although some rights were retained that would make Paramount properties still exist within the parks.
Plans for the London resort call for the development of more than 3,500 hotel rooms, as well as two new ferry terminals to help transport guests to and from the resort. The London resort would also have seen the construction of a new road off the A2 for the same reason.
With a soft opening date set for 2019, the London resort has sparked interest from many. However, in the years since the first announcement, little progress has been made with the opening date later changed to 2024.
Today, reports suggest the estimated costs of the proposed London resort are between £2.5 billion and £3.5 billion, with investors hoping to see a £50 billion return to the UK economy, if the plans go ahead.
In terms of what the London resort would offer, a number of major companies were due to be involved in the project including the BBC, ITV and the British Film Institute, as well as Aardman Animation.
The London resort is designed to fit British culture, and productions such as Top Gear, Doctor Who and Sherlock are expected to make heavy appearances.
Under current plans, a number of themed lands have also been envisioned for this exciting new theme park such as Starport, The Jungle, The Isles, The Kingdom, The Woods, The Studio and High Street.
In 2021, a Base Camp ground has also been confirmed for the London resort which will feature a number of dinosaur-inspired attractions, including four different rides and a 1,500-person exhibit arena.
So, what happens to the London resort now and will it be finished?…
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