Information

My Account

Theme Park Supplier's News of the Week #12 Bolliger Mabillard, MAURER Rides, ETF Ride Systems, Lo-...

World Waterpark Association Success for WWA's 33th Symposium and Trade Show

Hong Kong Disneyland to introdoce Iron Man Experience First major Marvel attraction planned in 2016

Theme Park Supplier's News of the Week #11 Zamperla, Simworx, Electrosonic, Vortex

Theme Park Industry News Roundup #6 Liseber, Universal Parks and Resorts, IAAPA, Herschend ...

Premier Rides wins €8 million contract with Plopsa Gr... New launch coaster to open at Holiday Park in 2014

Theme Park Industry News Roundup #5 Tokyo Disney Resort, Merlin, European Star Awards

Record anniversary edition for Euro Attractions Show More than 8,500 attendees on a record exhibit floor

Top Stories
Supplier's News
WWA
Hong Kong Disneyland
Supplier's News
Industry News
Premier Rides
Industry News
Euro Attractions Show

Latest Industry News

CORPORATEPublished on January 28, 2014 NewsParcs to take an extended break

EVENTPublished on November 10, 2013 IAAPA Attractions Expo 2013 debuts next week in Orlando

CORPORATEPublished on November 10, 2013 Difficult season for Compagnie des Alpes' amusement parks

NEWPublished on October 21, 2013 Theme Park Supplier's News of the Week #12

EVENTPublished on October 21, 2013 Success for the 33th symposium and trade show of the World Waterpark...

NEWPublished on October 13, 2013 Disney to introduce first major Marvel attraction at Hong Kong...

NEWPublished on October 13, 2013 Theme Park Supplier's News of the Week #11

NEWPublished on October 13, 2013 Theme Park Industry News Roundup – Issue #6

NEWPublished on October 6, 2013 Premier Rides wins €8 million contract to build a launch coaster...

581 articles published » See all articles

Welcome!

NewsParcs is an online trade publication dedicated to theme park industry professionals worldwide.

Since 1998, we work in direct contact with manufacturers, suppliers, consultants, owners and operators to publish only reliable and relevant information.

NewsParcs, connecting the theme park industry!

Supplier's News

NewsParcs will do a full coverage of the IAAPA Attractions Expo 2013 in Orlando to have a look at the latest trends and developments of the global theme park industry.

Follow us on Twitter (@NewsParcs) from November 19 to 22 with the hashtag #IAAPA

Mini-Europe and Océade forced to close in

August 2013

Update : 10/02/12 - 22h49 Published by François Mayné the 8 February 2012, Corporate.

The miniature park Mini Europe and the waterpark Océade, two of the most iconic tourist attractions in the city of Brussels, will have to close their doors in August 2013. That is the decision taken by the local politicians while they will launch a redevelopment plan for the Heysel, an area located at north-west of the Belgian capital. As a result of this redevelopment plan, The leases for both parks will not be renewed.

Heysel became famous for hosting the World Exposition in 1935. One finds today the renowned Atomium monument, an Exhibition Centre, a 50,000-seat stadium, various sports and cultural facilities as well as the recreation area "Bruparck". Inaugurated in 1988, Bruparck offers tourists and Brussels residents a village with shops and restaurants, a multiplex cinema, and various leisure activities including Océade and Mini-Europe opened respectively in '88 and '89.

The redevelopment project, called NEO, plans the complete destruction of Bruparck and the stadium to make way for a new neighborhood where there will be built a mall, a convention center, hotels, housing, offices, a concert hall and recreational infrastructure... but without Mini-Europe and Océade that developers no longer wish to see in the final draft.

Mini-Europe in a miniature park dedicated to the European countries since 1989

Océade is a waterpak, mainly indoor, that opened in 1988

Even if some "arrangements" have been proposed - namely Océade moving into a new building and a change of concept for Mini-Europe - the managing director of both companies Thierry Meeùs (son of the Walibi Group founder) doesn't agree to see his activities disapearing highlighting the fact that both parks are profitable, popular and essential for tourism in Brussels and even in Belgium.

Indeed, Océade and Mini-Europe welcome around 600,000 visitors annually, representing 25% of all visits to museums and attractions in Brussels. They thus provide about € 15 million in economic benefits for the city. In 2011, Mini-Europe welcomed 361,000 visitors, employed 85 people and generated a turnover of € 4 million. Océade generated in 2011 a turnover of € 3.5 million, employed 140 people and welcomed 240,000 visitors. Total investments for both parks since 1988 is about € 26 million while the reconstruction cost would be between 37 and € 40 million...

In a statement, Thierry Meeus explained his disagreement with the city authorities. "We have in our favor: investment, jobs created, number of visitors and economic benefits for the region ... Many tourists combine a visit to the Atomium with Mini-Europe, and Océade grew by 80 % in the last 10 years, becoming one of the water parks the most popular between Paris and The Hague! "

The NEO project will have a mall, convention center, hotels, housing, offices, a concert hall and recreational infrastructure.

With NEO, Mini-Europe will be replace by public walkways and Océade by new buildings.

He adds "The NEO plan is a prestige project which, if it sees the day, asks important questions in terms of cost, profitability and nuisances. On our side, the project exists, is profitable, costs nothing to the taxpayers, provides many benefits, emphasizes the role of Brussels as the European capital in and is constantly growing with new nvestments. "

The words of Thierry Meeus against the authorities are incisive : "The City of Brussels seems to want to kill the unique entrepreneurial dynamism in the field of attractions that we demonstrate for so long. What's worse is the lack of respect from authorities: we are told for example that Océade might remain ... if he moves 100 meters! We are also told that Mini-Europe could remain if we destroy all the buildings and provided that the miniature monuments are visible to all passers of Heysel. Basically, they give us the right to remain only if Océade and Mini-Europe are almost entirely rebuilt... meaning that they will become financially inexploitable for us!"

To prove they won't give up, Thierry Meeus said that both parks will continue to invest until the end to satisfy their loyal customers and tourists. Last night, Océade has opened two new water slides while several renovations of models will be carried out in Mini-Europe before the opening of the 2012 season on March 17.

And because the authorities' decision is unpopular, Mini-europe and Océade also launched an online petition to ask people to support them.

Océade - - -

Written by François Mayné

François Mayné Publishing Director » Contact Us
» all articles

Mini-Europe (Amusement park)
Belgium

» Read more articles...

Site : www.minieurope.be

external links

Electrosonic
(15 articles found)

Theme Park Supplier's News of the Week #11 read more

The NewsParcs' Theme Park Supplier's News of the Week is a round-up of the latest news relative to companies supplying the theme park industry around the world. This weekly report covers topics such as corporate announcements, ...

NEW | Electrosonic - Published on October 13, 2013

TEA's experience design conference SATE 2013 debuts this week in Savannah, USA read more

The non-profit organization Themed Entertainment Association is organizing its 9th annual conference on experience design SATE 2013 from October...

EVENT | Electrosonic - Published on September 29, 2013

Theme Park Supplier's News of the Week #6 read more

NewsParcs' Theme Park Supplier's News of the Week is a review of the latest news and releases of companies supplying the theme park industry worldwide. This weekly report covers topics such as corporate announcements, ...

NEW | Electrosonic - Published on August 18, 2013

Record attendance at Asian Attractions Expo 2013 reflects fast growing Asian market read more

The attractions industry professionals are unanimous: business is now expanding in an exponential way in Asia. As recently emphasized the TEA...

EVENT | Electrosonic - Published on June 25, 2013

Electrosonic to exhibit for the first time at the 15th edition of RAAPA in Moscow read more

Electrosonic will be exhibiting for the first time at the 15th Russian Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Expo (RAAPA) in Moscow...

EVENT | Electrosonic - Published on February 24, 2013

Electrosonic promotes Rob Smith as General Manager of Service for EMEA read more

Electrosonic the audio-visual specialist company, has announced the promotion of Rob Smith to General Manager of Service for Europe, Middle East...

CORPORATE | Electrosonic - Published on January 27, 2013

Electrosonic appoints Paul Taylor as Sales Manager of Cultural Entertainment and Leisure read more

The international audio-visual group Electrosonic has announced the promotion of Paul Taylor to Sales Manager of the Cultural Entertainment ...

CORPORATE | Electrosonic - Published on January 8, 2013

Electrosonic acquires Global Immersion, a leading digital immersive theater designer and integrator read more

The international audio-visual group Electrosonic today announces the acquisition of Global Immersion, a leader in the design and integration o...

CORPORATE | Electrosonic - Published on December 11, 2012

previous
Page 1/2
next

Select Articles

more search options less search options

Magazine