200 MILLION EURO THEME PARK READY TO ROLL

By Humphrey Carter THIS week, the Evolution Park project which could become the Balearics' first major theme park, will be officially unveiled and presented to local business, the government and the media. The Theme Park Project group is behind the 200 million euro venture which has been five years in the planning. The group is a Scandinavian/European/United States organisation and feels that the time is right to present the plan to the Balearics. Dean Sinclair, director of marketing, said that the aim of the presentation this week is to primarily unveil the project and see how much support it has from the local community. Initially, when the project was in its infancy, the group was considering a site near Inca. “Three years ago, Inca was looking to attract new business and new tourism ventures and it is also well strategically placed with good road communications to most of the island,” Sinclair said. However, the group is still very much open to suggestions about where the park will eventually be constructed. The most immediate concern is to get local business, the tourism industry, airlines and associations on board. “We believe it will be a major asset to Majorca and the Balearics, it's going to be much better than Port Aventura, for example, on the mainland and will be privately run.” Sinclair said. “We've done the maths, Majorca has a great catchment area and as it will be open 364 days of the year, could help a great deal in the bid to expand off season tourism,” Sinclair added. The park will also pose great educational and cultural value. Apart from what one would expect from a theme park, it is called Evolution, because it will also chart the history of the Balearics and the tourist industry and include a museum. It will also feature an around-the-world-in-80-days attraction. There are also plans for an ice rink and an indoor ski centre which would also benefit the local community throughout the year. The theme park will be created using the very latest animation and entertainment technology and could be up and running by 2007 providing the project goes to plan. This week when project directors meet airline chiefs, hoteliers and tour operator bosses, they will be looking to discuss setting up special packages to Majorca and the theme park, similar to those offered to many of Europe's main theme parks. An enormous model of the theme park will also be on display in order to provide people with a much better idea of what the project involves. The Theme Park project directors believe that the park is exactly what the region needs as it sets out on its bid to offer visitors new and exciting attractions while also helping to make the region more competitive.