The London Resort (Paramount Park London)

[CarlySX]

Article I found on investments into the resort

https://www.arabnews.com/node/1776686/business-economy

This article backs what I have been saying all along and matches up with the response I got during the consultations about investment. They are looking for Middle Eastern and Indian backing to buy up timeshare hotel rooms and investment properties. This is what drove the theme park bubble in Dubai for a long time and how many of those got built? Many have the apartments and hotels but no park after years, many have never even delivered the items that were sold.

“Generally speaking, those whom we’ve spoken to have been of Middle Eastern origin,” said James Hayward, investment director at London-based investment brokerage Farrbury Capital Partners.

“We market globally... We still have healthy investment in the UK, although I would also say those who invest from the UK have been predominantly of Middle Eastern descent. It is very, very popular in this neck of the woods. So that’s predominantly where we are seeing investment coming from,” he added.

This project is not about the theme park at all, it never has been - it's a regeneration project and an investment project ran by investment people. Look at the make up of the project team right now - how many of those people have theme park experience? How many have investment or property experience? You can put out all the concept art you like (or not in this case) but unless you have people who have delivered parks before it will fail to be realised.

I would love to see this park built but it's so pie in the sky I just don't see it happening.

[Guest]

Article I found on investments into the resort

https://www.arabnews.com/node/1776686/business-economy

[Hjalmar]

I would surely expect a post-Brexit UK to be encouraging major tourism projects like this.

When NSIP has been approved and a permit has been given, LRCH is capable for applying for grants to help with construction of the resort. They have not made it clear yet whether they remain operating as a private supported project or that they will request financial support from the UK government.

BALPPA however has made it very clear that there are worries, as far back as 12th of October 2015, concerning this project for tourism in the UK. As Paul Kelly stated in his letter to the NSIP " cannibalise the existing tourism industry in London, or become a 'white elephant' that does not deliver the proposed benefits". Which is showing that although the group endorse new competitors, it should not be based on false promises. Don't forgot that the LRCH has proposed a 15 million visitors in their theme park annually, which is the same amount of visitors combined in the theme park industry today in the UK.

[BenJacobs]

According to the latest meeting of NSIP, they are still "on their way" for submitting their plans to the board. However with 2 weeks left in December to make it within their own timescale. Concerning leaving the EU, the UK has better things to do than building a theme park, like sorting out the aftermath of the departure.

I would surely expect a post-Brexit UK to be encouraging major tourism projects like this.

[Hjalmar]

I'm looking forward to seeing more progress be made with this project, I personally think it will go ahead but maybe with an opening date for 2025.

After leaving the EU I think the UK government will grab this opportunity with both hands

According to the latest meeting of NSIP, they are still "on their way" for submitting their plans to the board. However with 2 weeks left in December to make it within their own timescale. Concerning leaving the EU, the UK has better things to do than building a theme park, like sorting out the aftermath of the departure.

[Guest]

I'm looking forward to seeing more progress be made with this project, I personally think it will go ahead but maybe with an opening date for 2025.

After leaving the EU I think the UK government will grab this opportunity with both hands

[Hjalmar]

I think that you are being quite negative. There has been significant progress recently and the DCO is planned to be put forward early 2021, I am sure everyone would love to see this project go ahead!

Personally I see myself as realistic, this park was suppose to open in 2020 with permit filing in 2016. This hasn't happened until now, and according to your post they have again delayed the timeline and moved it to 2021.

What makes me more worried is that up to now, no details have been shown on what is going to attract people to the park. If you compare this with relevant projects like Universal's Epic Universe, the filing of official documents show detailed masterplans of what each section of the park is going to be. Up to this point London Resort has shown intentions of what's to come except for concepts with generic themes. This is weird as they claim to have ITV, Paramount and BBC behind them for IP's, so where are the IP inspired concepts?

They are asking people to sign off on the DCO with no knowledge on what the both parks offering into the mix of all hotels, E-Arena and other side offerings within a resort. Basically they are now selling Disney Village with the hotels without telling what the parks are.

I would love to have a resort 30 minutes from my home, but let's be realistic, this has been going on since 2015 without any construction as of yet.

[Guest]

As long as the resort doesn't file for the permit request for building, the project is not going ahead. They have only shown preliminary investigations and intentions up to this point. NSIPs mean nothing more than that the government recognizes that the project has an impact on the country if approved and constructed. As long as London Resorts keep faffing about with their permit request, like they have done over the last five years, they will not start constructing anytime soon. The permit request was suppose to happen in Q4 of this year, however I haven't seen this done as off yet. If they don't do the permit soon, the opening of 2024 might be a very difficult deadline to reach.

I think that you are being quite negative. There has been significant progress recently and the DCO is planned to be put forward early 2021, I am sure everyone would love to see this project go ahead!

[Hjalmar]

Will the London Resort go ahead?

As long as the resort doesn't file for the permit request for building, the project is not going ahead. They have only shown preliminary investigations and intentions up to this point. NSIPs mean nothing more than that the government recognizes that the project has an impact on the country if approved and constructed. As long as London Resorts keep faffing about with their permit request, like they have done over the last five years, they will not start constructing anytime soon. The permit request was suppose to happen in Q4 of this year, however I haven't seen this done as off yet. If they don't do the permit soon, the opening of 2024 might be a very difficult deadline to reach.

[Themeparkmad]

Will the London Resort go ahead?

Hi guys, sorry if this has been asked before!

I live very locally and am very much in favour of the Resort, how confident are you guys that the Resort will actually go ahead given that it has been on the horizon for many years now?

I believe it will as the government has recognised it as a significant infrastructure project and an experienced CEO has been appointed. I hope this answered your question.