(9 May 1996) German/Eng/Nat
Warner Bros. is nearing completion of a big theme park just outside Bottrop, bringing Hollywood to Germany's gritty industrial Ruhr Valley.
Germans are enthusiastic about the project which they hope will give a welcome boost to the economically-troubled steel-making region.
If real-life Hollywood is too far away then why not glance behind the scenes and discover the magical world of film.
No, it's not Warner Brothers Studios in Los Angeles but the biggest movie and entertainment park to come to Europe.
In less than two months Germany will open its doors to Movie World -- more than 40 hectares of rides and attractions such as The Batman Ride, the Bermuda Triangle and the Gremlin Adventure.
Warner Bros. expects the park to be more successful than France's Disneyland.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
I think one of the reasons we picked Germany was people. We have a beautiful amount of people in this country who love entertainment, love live shows, love characters, love a bit of Hollywood, love the fantasy which is associated with a great park like this. So it's a very natural place for us. We are in the largest highest density of population in all of Europe, right here in Bottrop-Kirchhellen.
SUPERCAPTION: Joseph Meck, General Manager of Warner Bothers
The park is Warner Brothers' biggest financial investment outside the United States.
Together with its German partners it has invested 255 million dollars.
The Germans are welcoming the invasion of American culture with open arms and baited breath.
The construction work should be completed in the next two months ready for the opening at the end of June this year.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
I'm working in Gotham City. I hope to be here, maybe until the end of June.
SUPERCAPTION: Rick Ward, Carpenter at construction sight
Visitors will be able to wonder through Gotham City and towns from the Wild West.
Bugs Bunny and Batman are popular cultural icons in Germany.
But part of the warm greeting they're expected to get here are the project's bright economic prospects.
SOUNDBITE: (German)
The hope of the town of Bottrop is linked to four key words. One key word is investment in the region. The second key word is security of the labour market. The third word is spreading the economic infrastructure and improvement of the structure and the fourth one would be, to be modest, the boost to the image of Bottrop.
SUPERCAPTION: Walter Hermann, Economic Research for city of Bottrop
But German children are just excited that their favourite cartoon characters are coming to visit.
SOUNDBITE: (German)
Bugs Bunny, and the other characters.
SUPERCAPTION: Vanine Weilmann, nine-year-old girl
More than a thousand builders are working overtime to get the park up and ready for its official opening on June 30.
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
