Paramount Theme Park Murcia

Paramount Theme Park Alhama de Murcia

History of the Paramount Murcia Theme Park project

Last updated April 2015

The Paramount Murcia Theme park project began in February 2010, following initial meetings at the FITUR Trade fair in Madrid, between Pedro Alberto Cruz, Consejero for Culture and Tourism for the Region of Murcia, and representatives from Marta Consulting in Dubai, intermediaries and specialists in leisure developments.

Following the initial contact, Consejero Cruz and the President of the Region of Murcia, Ramón Luis Valcárcel, flew to Dubai for exploratory talks, returning with the news that feasability studies were to take place with a view to possibly constructing a new generation Theme Park in the Region of Murcia.

Following this preliminary announcement, media interest attracted the interest of speculators, so Paramount Licensing denied their interest and attention died down, whilst the interested parties continued to work behind the scenes to bring the project to fruition.

On the 10th September Paramount Licensing issued a pre-license to Santa Monica Financial services, a business owned by Jesús Samper, developer of the Nueva Condomina development in Murcia capital, the project backed by, although not financed by, the Government of the Region of Murcia.

A period of intense press speculation about the location of the potential theme park followed, during which the company to spearhead the project Proyectos Emblemáticos Murcianos S.A was formed, with Jesús Samper an 80% shareholder, investing 800,000 euros, and the Region of Murcia holding 20% via two regional entities, although the Region made it plain that their ròle was purely as an intermediary and that they would not be participating in a capital investment.

Paramount Licensing also made it clear that their participation in the project was purely on a licensing basis and there would be no capital investment on their part.

Paramount Executives visited the Region of Murcia in November 2011 and the location of Alhama de Murcia was confirmed as being the most likely location for the project, due to its proximity to the new Corvera International Airport ( due to open late spring 2012) and ideal rail and motorway links, plus the availability of flat building land.

Initial speculation focused on plots previously owned by the Polaris World Construction Company which had been forced to cede the territories to the IRM Group, owned jointly by a consortium of banks, the land taken as payment against debts when the constructor was forced to seek bankruptcy protection.

Protracted negotiations took place to secure the plot, with a projected 3 million square metres cited as being the required amount for the site, but following meetings with  the conceptual design team, and due to the banks refusing to lower their asking price, a smaller plot was finally selected in the same area, and in February 2011, the first official press conference regarding the project took place with the confirmation that the land options had been agreed.

Following this, the Region of Murcia granted official tourist Interest Status to the project and designers visited the Region to prepare the conceptual design.

This was followed by a second press conference, this being attended by Michael Bartok, Vice President of Paramount Licensing and his design team, who presented the conceptual design for the park and signed the official license giving Jesús Samper and his team a 30 year license for the Theme park.

Investment of around 1 billion euros is currently being sought to build the Theme Park and leisure facilities which will accompany it.

As of November 2013, basic landclearing has been undertaken, the building contracts have been adjudicated for the first phases of the park and road infrastructure, Alhama de Murcia council are still processing the paperwork to grant full and final licences following a number of amendments, construction is anticipated to begin in January 2014, and Premursa are still seeking financing for the project.

By the end of January 2014, the project had been presented at the Fitur trade fair in Madrid as the star attraction on the regional stand, but construction will not now start until summer, due to delays in completing the necessary paperwork for the full licences to be granted by Alhama de Murcia council. The hunt for financing continues.

By July 2014 financing had still not been obtained and the Secretary of State for Commerce ( himself a Murcian by birth) was seeking EU financing to the tune of 18 million euros to enable construction to begin. Pedro Cruz has ceased to be regional minister for tourism and the regional presidency has also changed, with former president Ramón Luis Valcárcel taking up a new position in Brussels.

In April 2015 it was announced that the Santa Monica Group had been forced into involuntary liquidation, however, Santa Monica Sports maintained that the Paramount Park project was unaffected. As of this date the search for financing is still underway, although time is running out to complete and open the park by the end of 2016.

The entire project has been documented from day 1 as it unravelled, and the details can be found below in the following links to the original stories as they were posted.

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PROMOTIONAL VIDEO FOR PARAMOUNT PARK AND LIFESTYLE CENTER ALHAMA DE MURCIA SPAIN,ENGLISH, Click Paramount Park and Lifestyle Center Alhama de Murcia

The full story of the Paramount Theme park Murcia

24th April Paramount park project hopes to survive Santa Mónica bankruptcy

22nd April Paramount park promotors deny entering bankruptcy

22nd April Real Murcia FC threatened by Santa Monica sports bankruptcy

2nd July 2014, 18 million euros in EU aid sought to finance park construction

February 2014, President Valcárcel says Paramount park is still feasible

30th January 2014, Construction of Paramount delayed until summer

24th January, Murcia presents Paramount in Fitur

15th January, Paramount star attraction at Fitur

19th December, Cruz says 90% of Paramount attractions will be world firsts

16th November 2013, Alhama council pushing forward with Paramount

31st October, Paramount Park contracts awarded

3rd October, Paramount Land clearance begins

17th September, Cruz says clearing work on site will start within next few days

11th September, Model of Paramount Park to go on display soon

26th July, Is financial engineering the solution for Paramount financing

24th July, Special plan documentation published in the BORM

24th June  6 constructors are interested in constructing Paramount Park

19th June Paramount Park continues to generate paperwork

30th May, Misleading info in English free papers again

10th May Samper says there are investors interested in Paramount Park

9th May Alhama council approve licences for Paramount Park

9th May President Valcárcel comments on Paramount Park

7th May Alhama pleno meet to approve Paramount Park planning

23rd April, Environmental impact study approved, Click Paramount ready to start says Cruz

27th March 2013, English report Paramount has gone pear shaped. Paramount pear shaped?

15th January 2013, Secretary of State backs paramount initiative, Paramount backed

12th January 2013 Paramount under fire from ecologists, Paramount under fire

5th January 2013 Paramount Park and Corvera airport latest news

8th November, Alhama conclude amendments to Paramount Plan, Alhama council Paramount plan

23rd October, President Valcárcel comments on Paramount, Click Valcárcel discusses Paramount

11th September, Cruz and Samper seek Paramount financing in America,

4th September, Paramount latest news

30th July Premursa sign revised documentation for Paramount Murcia

19th July Paramount purchase remaining lands for Paramount Park Murcia

14th July, Premursa open job applications, Click Premursa open job applications

7th July, Alhama council announce road construction will start this autumn, Alhama Premursa

28th June , Premursa ratifies accounts, Premursa ratifies Paramount Park accounts

14th June, New member for Premursa team,  Click Premursa take on new member

31st May, Paramount First stone laid,  Click Paramount Park Murcia ceremonial stone laying

30th May Region studying the possibility of financial support, Region studying financing options

30th May Premursa sign educational agreement    Premursa educational agreement.

29th May, Samper says he has no financing for the Paramount Park, No financing for Paramount Park

28th May, Paramount Flags Flying, Click Paramount Flags flying at site of Paramount Park

12th April, Work underway for access infrastructure, Click Paramount Infrastructure underway

5th April, Project contracts by a third, Click Paramount Park Alhama contracts.

2nd April, The Paramount factor makes Murcia a property hotspot, Click Murcia 22nd in investment potential rankings

26th March Premursa transferring offices to Alhama, Click Premursa opens Alhama office.

16th March Pedro Cruz answers Paramount questions in the Regional Assembly, Click Cruz gets a roasting in the Regional Assembly

16th March, Paramount Licensing take seat on Premursa board, Click Paramount join Premursa board

7th March Premursa exercise Paramount purchase option, Click Premursa buy Paramount Land

13th February 2012 Paramount Technical team visit Alhama, Click Paramount team visit Alhama

7th February, Land purchase postponed, Click Paramount land purchase postponed

4th February Paramount Land deal to be signed 7th February, Click Paramount signing 7th February

2nd February Paramount Land plans presented, Click Paramount urban plans presented

21st December Premursa exercise option to buy land, Click Premursa exercise Paramount option

20th November Alhama reclassify Paramount Land, Click Alhama reclassify Paramount Land

5th October Paramount Park and Lifestyle center greeted cautiously by unions, Click Paramount Park and Unions

4th October, Paramount Park and Lifestyle Center Madrid presentation, Click Paramount Park and Lifestyle Center

4th October 2011, Paramount Park presentation causes confusion, Click Paramount Park presentation

3rd October 2011, Alhama Mayor and Samper sign Paramount urban convenio, Click Alhama de Murcia Mayor, Convenio

28th September, Presentation of Paramount Park Lifestyle Center confirmed for 4th October, Click Paramount Park Lifestyle Center

30th August, Alhama Mayor pushing forward with bureaucratic paperwork, Click Alhama Mayor

11th August, latest press coverage about Paramount, Click Paramount Murcia

4th August, English press stirring up Paramount rumours again, Click Paramount Murcia

4th August, Alhama council agree fiscal concessions for Premusa, Click Premusa negotiate terms with Alhama council

27th July, Paramount Murcia Theme Park project to be presented in October, Click Paramount Theme park Murcia

14th July 2011, Pedro Cruz interviewed, Click Pedro Cruz says Paramount will begin in Spring 2012

7th July 2011, Mystery Russian named, Click Paramount Murcia latest update

16th June 2011, Paramount update, Click Paramount Theme Park Murcia June 16th

16th June 2011, Arab-Hispanio Investment forum postponed, Click Arab Investment forum postponed

6th June 2011, Arab Investment forum may hold Paramount Key, Click Arab Investment Forum

4th May 2011, Cruz says Paramount will convert Mazarrón into the epicentre of tourism, Click Paramount Theme park Murcia

 28th March, Paramount Theme Park Murcia presented, Click Paramount Theme  Park Murcia

26th March, Paramount Theme Park Murcia design elements, Click Paramount Theme Park Murcia design elements

25th March, Paramount Theme Park Murcia conceptual elements presented, Click Paramount Theme Park Murcia conceptual plan

16th March, Paramount Licensing grant license, Click Paramount Murcia license

3rd March, Paramount Resort, the plans take shape, Click Paramount Resort, Murcia

28th February, design team visit the Region of Murcia, Click Paramount Murcia Resort design team

14th February, Paramount project given official Tourist Interest status, Click Paramount Murcia

12th February, official meeting Alhama town Hall and Proyectos Emblemáticos, Click Paramount Murcia leisure park

7th February, land option agreed, Click Paramount Murcia

7th February, 2nd plot of land acquired, Paramount murcia

2nd February, spanish press say land deal finalised, Click Paramount murcia

20th January 2011, it´s paramount chinese whispers again, Click Paramount Murcia

20th January , Absence of Cruz prevents Paramount presentation, Click Paramount Murcia

12th January 2011, Paramount Murcia to star in FITUR, Click Paramount Murcia

1st Jan 2011. Will it be happy ever after for paramount in 2011, Click Paramount Murcia

7th December, A little Paramount crumb, Paramount Murcia

15th November, A paramount Reflection, Paramount Murcia

12th November, Paramount executives investigate the region, Paramount Murcia

11th November Paramount Executives meet regional representatives, Paramount Murcia

11th November, Regional spokesperson confirms Paramount Visit, Paramount Murcia

8th November, Paramount Licensing executive to vist, Paramount Murcia

2nd November, Self righteous indignation from the media, Click Paramount Murcia

31st Salvador Marin interviewed about Paramount, Click Paramount murcia

28th Paramount Executives to visit region of murcia, Paramount executives to visit

27th Potentail investors and Paramount Executives to visit region, Click Paramount murcia

20th Misinformation abounds, Paramount theme park

19th Spanish press claim english and arab investors are interested, Click here, Paramount murcia theme park

15th October, Spanish press claim Alhama is the location, Click Paramount leisure park, Murcia

14th October, Spanish press claim announcement to be made by Monday, Murcia paramount theme park

6th October Pedro Cruz says nobody or nothing will stop paramount going ahead, Click Pedro cruz declaration

5th October, Murcian corruption investigation, offices of Paramount theme park licensee raided, Murcia corruption

23rd Sept. Proyectos Emblematicos murcianos is born, Click Proyectos emblematicos

21st Sept, Samper warns this will take time and banks haggle over Alhama land, Paramount murcia

17th Sept, More Mayors flock to the paramount Murcia ride, Click here Paramount Murcia

15th Sept, Put on your seatbelt, Cruz talks about the negotiations to come, Paramount Murcia

13th Sept, Paramount theme park Murcia, so where is it going to be?, Paramount Murcia,

12th Sept, Paramount theme park Murcia, the dust settles and things become clearer, Click paramount theme park,murcia

10th Sept. Murcia regional Govt confirms support for Paramount theme park

 10th Sept. Paramount Licensing Press Release, Click Paramount Licensing press release, murcia

10th Sept, Paramount Studios theme park in Murcia may be a reality after all, Paramount studios theme park, murcia

22nd April, Paramount Murcia Theme Park, This project may not be a dead donkey, Paramount Murcia theme Park

Embarrassed Politicians admit Valcarcel didnt lie about Paramount Studios letter

Paramount Studios deny plans to build a theme park in the Region of Murcia

The "Cross of Culture" could raise a phoenix from the ashes of Polaris

9th March 2010 Do you believe white elephants can fly, Polaris claim settlement is imminent

27th Feb 2010 Murcia possible location for Paramount Studios theme park