Joshua Parfitt
A MASSIVE theme park is to be built in Spain on a scale and ambition rivalling Disney.
The new tourist destination, which aims to open in 2023, will be constructed mid-way between Seville and Madrid in the municipality of Castilblanco.
Referencing the Greek mythology of paradise, Elysium City will feature a water park, an 18-hole golf course, a 40,000-seat stadium, four hotels, rollercoasters, an equestrian centre and a marina.
In 2028, reported plans are to turn the theme park into a ‘smart city’ fit for permanent human habitation.
“It’s basically a city that we’re creating that will be a smart city from ground up, but the core will be the entertainment pieces: a Disney-level major theme park and an adventure water park that’s unlike typical water parks,” said John Cora, founder and chairman of Cora Alpha behind the city, to Travel + Leisure.
“The goal is to have it be a place where you want to work, live and play.”
The unprecedented city will have free high-speed WiFi throughout, as well as smart infrastructure such as live traffic and weather updates, along with intelligent furniture and lighting.
Future residents will use the WiFi service to check updates on events and meetings, and to connect directly to the city government to report issues, give feedback and fill out permits.
Elysium City also will include solar-powered infrastructure like street lights and kiosks that provide parking information and availability, traffic updates, public transportation schedules and weather forecasts and warnings.
Furthermore, the cityscape will not feature the red and yellow helter-skelter-slides commonly found in water parks today, but Elysium’s water park will utilise heavy landscaping and rockwork techniques to incorporate the area’s natural environment.
The surrounding landscape will also be harnessed to create adventure activities like mountain biking, hiking and bungee jumping.
Building work for the smart city is expected to start later this year, and Cora Alpha estimates receiving four million guests during the park’s opening year.
Initially, guests will be able to stay in one of the 3,000 rooms, spread across four hotels, each one fitted with a casino.
The second stage of the city will open in 2028, with 2,000 housing units for new residents in the 1,200 hectare region.
The Costa del Sol was actually one of the locations seriously considered for the first Euro Disney Resort, which ended up as Disneyland Paris in France
U.S. based international theme park, resort, and tourism development company Cora Alpha, which ran operations at Disneyland for 15 years, will be be undertaking this project that could further enhance Spain’s huge tourism appeal.
Disneyland Paris covers an area of 1,900 hectares, compared with Elysium’s 1,200 hectares.
