Grévin & Cie continues its internationalisation and makes a new acquisition in Germany

Plailly, 12 December 2003 – In Düsseldorf today, Grévin & Cie concluded the acquisition of Panorama Park, a family amusement park attracting 260 000 visitors a year, established in 1964. Located in Western Germany only 50 km from Fort Fun, acquired by the Group last year, Panorama Park enables Grévin & Cie to strengthen its positions in a touristic region serving both the Ruhr area and the Cologne region.

"The Panorama Park/Fort Fun grouping gives Grévin & Cie a fine commercial presence in the Ruhr and the Cologne/Düsseldorf region", explained Grévin & Cie Chairman and CEO Olivier de Bosredon. "Panorama Park is magnificent – a very legitimate attraction in its environment".

"Our subsidiary is applying the group's strategy of external growth in Europe", says Jean Pierre Sonois, Executive Board Chairman of Compagnie des Alpes, Grévin & Cie's parent company.

With 16 attractions and an animal area, Panorama Park is aimed mainly at families. In 2003 it welcomed 260 000 visitors and posted a turnover of 4.4 million euros. Grévin & Cie has acquired all of the Panorama Park assets: attractions, buildings and trademark. At the parties' request, Grévin & Cie did not make the amount of the deal public.

This acquisition enables Grévin & Cie to continue its internationalisation, which began in 2001. Starting with parc Astérix created in 1989, the Group now has 12 family entertainment sites in four European countries.
"With this eleventh acquisition, we will now welcome 4 visitors out of every 10 outside France", Olivier de Bosredon added.

Panorama Park
Established in 1964 in a protected forest site covering 70 hectares in low mountains, Panorama Park now offers 16 family attractions opened some 200 days a year, as well as a safari route opened all year. It is near the Ruhr as well as the Cologne/Düsseldorf urban area.
Panorama Park features the Hochsauerland region in which it is located : the animals are from the surrounding forests, and the buildings are in the traditional local style. The park includes attractions, a safari route, shops, eating places and a small hotel.
An animal park when it opened in 1964, installed at the location of a former hunting lodge and garden centre, Panorama Park has added to its offerings over time by installing attractions.

Grévin & Cie
Grévin & Cie, specialising in entertaining families. It welcomes more than 5 million visitors a year. It now manages 12 highly distinctive facilities, including Grévin Wax Show, parc Astérix and the Dolfinarium of The Netherlands at Harderwijk.
A fast-growing company, Grévin & Cie is now present in France, The Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland.
It is a subsidiary of Compagnie des Alpes, listed on the Euronext in Paris.
To learn more, consult www.grevinetcie.com

Quelle: http://www.grevinetcie.com/grevingb/actu.htm

Time will tell... Björn
Freizeitpark-welt.de