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Figment!
03-26-2007, 04:59 PM
Bits Beyond the Berms
3/26/07 - 4/1/07





3/26/07
~Astroland Is Prepared To Ride Into the Sunset (http://www.intercot.com/discussion/showpost.php?p=1235878&postcount=2)
~Mt. Olympus Owners Buy Treasure Island Resort in Wisconsin (http://www.intercot.com/discussion/showpost.php?p=1235901&postcount=3)




3/27/07

~Demolition Plans Move Forward for Rocky Point (http://www.intercot.com/discussion/showpost.php?p=1237379&postcount=4)
~Magic Springs: Refinancing Deal to Cause Growth, Add Jobs (http://www.intercot.com/discussion/showpost.php?p=1237382&postcount=5)
~Six Flags to Amp Up Media, Sponsorships (http://www.intercot.com/discussion/showpost.php?p=1237384&postcount=6)


3/28/07
~Michigan's Adventure Earns Top Tourism Honor (http://www.intercot.com/discussion/showpost.php?p=1238552&postcount=7)
~Indoor Water Park Making Progress (http://www.intercot.com/discussion/showpost.php?p=1238560&postcount=8) (South Bend, Indiana Area)
~Developers Unveil Resort Plans for Land Near Venice, Florida Airport (http://www.intercot.com/discussion/showpost.php?p=1238563&postcount=9)


3/29/07
~LegoLand, California Opens Las Vegas Replica (http://www.intercot.com/discussion/showpost.php?p=1239982&postcount=10)
~City Council Sinks Water Park Bids (http://www.intercot.com/discussion/showpost.php?p=1239986&postcount=11) (Fremont, California Area)
~Paradisus Palma Real Re-Opens (http://www.intercot.com/discussion/showpost.php?p=1239997&postcount=12)


3/30/07



3/31/07



4/1/07

_

Figment!
03-26-2007, 05:10 PM
Astroland Is Prepared To Ride Into the Sunset





By ELIOT BROWN
The New York Sun
March 26, 2007

Workers at Coney Island's Astroland did over

This year was different in that the opening will be the last of the annual rituals at Coney Island's only remaining true amusement park. A developer, Thor Equities, founded by Joseph Sitt, intends to shut it down in the fall to make room for a total overhaul of the area.

The owner of Astroland, Carol Hill Albert, who also owns the Cyclone roller coaster, sold the site to Thor in the fall for $30 million, property records indicate, a deal she said she was reluctant to make. "I couldn't risk going out of business," she said, contending that years of anticipated construction on Thor's property presented a large obstacle.
Ms. Albert, whose family has owned Astroland for all 40 years of its existence, said there were too many bureaucratic obstacles to year-round amusements on her site. "I think Joe Sitt has been taking all the city's attention and energy," she said.

A spokesman for the city's Economic Development Corporation, Andrew Brent, denied that preferential treatment was given to any developer and said the city was surprised when Ms. Albert sold the Astroland site to Thor last fall.

While the final season at Astroland may not signify the last chapter in the tale of Coney Island, it represents the end of a volume in the amusement hub's storied anthology. In place of the usual small-scale rides and game booths common in Coney Island history, there likely will be large parcels of amusements owned by a single operator, the executive director of the Coney Island History Project, Charles Denson, said.

The president of the nonprofit Coney Island USA, Richard Zigun, said that while he was disappointed with Astroland's closing, a large developer could be very beneficial for the area's revitalization efforts.

"The idea of assembling a 10-acre package for one developer to do lots of rides is a good thing," he said. But, like a growing chorus of area opponents, he is displeased with Thor's insistence on building residential units in the heart of the amusement district.
When Thor started buying land to develop new amusements a few years ago, the community, long awaiting a rebirth, reacted with excitement, Ms. Albert said.

As it became clear that Thor wanted nearly 1,000 residential units inside the district, opposition mounted, Ms. Albert said, adding that her financial analyses show that amusements are viable without condos.
"You could make money year-round in the amusement business in Coney Island by building a hotel or hotels instead of condos," she said.

Opponents of Thor's apartment proposal will conduct a protest at City Hall Friday.
A spokesman for Thor, Lee Silberstein, said the company is still discussing the plan with the city. the weekend what they do every spring: clean up the ticket booths and prepare the rides for the April 1 opening.

Figment!
03-26-2007, 05:37 PM
Mt. Olympus Owners Buy Treasure Island Resort



The Business Journal of Milwaukee
March 26, 2007

The owners of Mt. Olympus Water and Theme Park in Wisconsin Dells have purchased the neighboring Treasure Island resort and related properties that will be incorporated into a single, Greek mythology-themed entertainment resort complex.


The purchase included Treasure Island, the Captain's Quarters and the Pleasant View Motel lodging properties, along with the Bay of Dreams Indoor Waterpark and the former Family Land Outdoor Waterpark properties, from Jim Mattei. All of the properties have been acquired by the sole proprietors of Mt. Olympus, Nick and Eva Laskaris. Terms of the transaction, completed March 15, were not disclosed in a statement issued Monday.


All of the properties will be renamed and upgraded to reflect the Mt. Olympus Greco-Roman theme. The renovation work will include upgrades to the Treasure Island lobby and guest rooms, the addition of a new family video arcade redemption center and an on-site retail store.


The 156-acre Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park was created with the 2004 merger of Treasure Island and Family Land with a neighboring theme park that was co-owned by Mattei and the Laskarises.

Figment!
03-28-2007, 12:54 AM
Demolition Plans Move Forward for Rocky Point




WPRI 12
March 27, 2007

What's left of a Rhode Island landmark -- the old Rocky Point Amusement Park -- won't be around much longer. Crews plan on tearing down most of the remaining buildings starting in April. The city of Warwick is hoping to do away with the old amusement park once and for all because of the danger it posed.

When it shut down in 1995 due to bankruptcy, Rocky Point Amusement Park lay dormant for years, only attracting attention when it caught fire last fall, or when development deals for the 123-acre property in Warwick fell through.

Mayor Scott Avedisian (R-Warwick), says the park's time is up and the land is now a public nuisance: "I think if you saw the property today, you would be nostalgic about memories but you wouldn't really be nostalgic about a lot that's still on the property."

Avedisian says it's no longer a piece of Rhode Island nostalgia, especially after fire blew through the property in October, and threatened to become dangerous. The land's caretaker, the federal Small Business Administration, will shell out about $200,000 to demolish all but two buildings.
"With the removal of these buildings the agency is moving a step closer to acceptable use for this valuable property located on Narragansett Bay," says Mark Hayward of the SBA.

A Providence engineering firm will take on the demolition project, which could start within a month pending Department of Environmental Management approval. Many of the old buildings still have asbestos.
In April, the SBA will start taking proposals from land developers, who could build homes or condominiums on the property. The expected starting bid for any developer who wants a piece of the action is around $25 million.

The mayor is just happy firefighters and police won't have to stand watch anymore over a property that's attracted mischief.

Figment!
03-28-2007, 12:57 AM
Magic Springs: Refinancing Deal to Cause Growth, Add Jobs


By Lance Turner
Northwest Arkansas Business Journal
March 27, 2007

Magic Springs Development Co., which owns the Magic Springs and Crystal Falls theme park at Hot Springs, said Tuesday that it has signed a refinancing deal that will pour $10 million into the park for new attractions over the next two years.
Dan Aylward, president and general manager of Magic Springs, said Magic Springs Development Co. has signed a deal to transfer the park's assets to CNL Income Properties Inc., a real estate investment trust based in Orlando, Fla.

Once the deal closes, the development company will lease those same assets back as part of a financing package that Aylward said will bring "a major water park expansion in 2007 and a major new ride in 2008."

"The same leadership team that has managed Magic Springs will remain in place, and the level of excellence that this team has strived to deliver for our guests will not change," Aylward said in a news release. "This transaction will only further strengthen the financial structure of the park and assure long-term future investment in new attractions."

Future investments at the park can then be funded through CNL, or Magic Springs Development Co. will retain the option to fund additional new attractions directly or through third parties. Lease payments will be based on a floating scale of percentages of investments and revenue, the park said. Magic Springs Development Co. also said it maintains its commitment to pay the economic development bonds approved by Hot Springs voters last year.

Aylward said the sale-leaseback deal assures "the long-term viability of the park and its future development."

"By taking this step, we create the kind of financial capability that will allow the park to grow to become an even more prominent regional theme park," he said.

Aylward said more seasonal jobs will be added for new attractions. The park will add 20 new seasonal jobs this year. More than 1,500 people worked at Magic Springs in 2006, including 35 full-time positions.

CNL Income Properties invests in golf courses, attractions, ski resorts, water parks and theme parks. Magic Springs Development Co. said that although title to the real and personal property assets will pass to CNL, ownership of the operation remains with the development company. Most of the current management structure, including CEO Ed Hart and Aylward, will remain in place.

Figment!
03-28-2007, 12:59 AM
Six Flags to Amp Up Media, Sponsorships
Six Flags Plans to Increase Media Budget and Corporate Sponsorships in 2007



Associated Press
March 27, 2007


NEW YORK -- Theme-park operator Six Flags Inc. said in a regulatory filing on Tuesday it plans to increase its media budget and pursue more sponsorships in order to increase profits.

Six Flags Inc. has been struggling with falling attendance and a large debt load. In January, it said it would sell seven of its 30 North American parks, including one in Western Washington, for $312 million to reduce debt.

In March, the company posted a fourth-quarter loss, as higher per capita revenue was offset by a decline in attendance.
In Tuesday's filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the New York-based company said it plans a "substantial" increase in its media budget to $84.2 million to help drive attendance, compared with $59 million in 2006. Six Flags plans to double its domestic TV presence and spend more on radio and outdoor advertising.
The company also wants to increase its sponsorships to $38 million and expand corporate alliances. It said it already had $33 million in corporate alliances with Nintendo, Heinz, Chase, Sara Lee and Johnny Rockets.

The filing was related to a presentation that President and Chief Executive Mark Shapiro gave at a Lehman Brothers conference.

Six Flags shares fell 6 cents to close at $6.07 on the New York Stock Exchange.

Figment!
03-28-2007, 10:40 PM
Michigan's Adventure Earns Top Tourism Honor


by Dave Alexander
Muskegon Chronicle
March 28, 2007

People in Muskegon County and West Michigan have known for years the importance of Michigan's Adventure Amusement Park to tourism. Now that recognition has spread across the state.
Michigan's Adventure -- the Cedar Fair LP amusement park located between Muskegon and Whitehall -- was named the "attraction of the year" by Travel Michigan and the Michigan Hotel, Motel & Resort Association.

The statewide honor by Michigan's tourism promotion agency was part of the Stars of Industry Awards handed out Tuesday night in Traverse City. The award dinner at the Grand Traverse Resort closed the two-day annual Michigan tourism conference.

"I think the award is a recognition attributed to our increasing attendance," park General Manager Camille Jourden-Mark said. "And last year was the first time we were in a joint advertising campaign with Travel Michigan."

Michigan's Adventure experienced a record attendance year in 2006, attracting close to 600,000 visitors, according to Sam Wendling, director of Muskegon County Convention & Visitors Bureau, who said those numbers were supplied by state tourism sources. Cedar Fair is no longer announcing attendance numbers for specific parks, but Jourden-Mark said it was a "great year."

In 2005, the last year Cedar Fair provided specific park attendance numbers, Michigan's Adventure drew 550,000, up 18 percent from the prior year and posted the largest percentage increase among all of the Cedar Fair parks, which includes its flagship Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio.
Local tourism officials were thrilled with the Travel Michigan award for Michigan's Adventure.

"The effect that Michigan's Adventure has on tourism in Muskegon County and West Michigan is immeasurable," Wendling said. "Their gate is huge for both the county and the region. We are so pleased that they are recognized for their efforts."

Wendling said the award also provides individual recognition of Jourden-Mark's management. She grew up in the business -- learning from the park's former owner and her father, Roger Jourden -- and continued with its operations when he sold it to Cedar Fair in 2001.

Jourden-Mark said Michigan's Adventure is increasing its Travel Michigan "Pure Michigan" travel campaign. Last year's Michigan's Adventure billboard and radio advertising included the Travel Michigan Web site. But this year the company and the state are cutting a specific "Pure Michigan" radio spot using the voice of Michigan actor Tim Allen of television's Home Improvement.

Figment!
03-28-2007, 10:44 PM
Shipshewana Indoor Water Park Making Progress



by Ed Ernstes
WSBT 12
March 28, 2007

If you're thinking about where to spend your summer vacation, we may have the place for you.

The biggest indoor water park in our viewing area is scheduled to open in just a few months. The $25 million project will sit on 18 acres near the intersection of U.S. 20 and State Road 5.

The center piece of WanaWaves Splash Universer Indoor Water Park Resort is a 25,000 square foot indoor water park. It has slides, a lazy river and pools. There's also a 154-room hotel.

“It doesn't matter whether it’s winter, whether it’s summer, whether it’s raining, like today, we can all have fun and stay warm right here.” said Greg Johnson of WanaWaves on Wednesday. “What better way to draw more guests to, over the million that visit Shipshewana during the year.”

The complex should open for business around July 1st.

Figment!
03-28-2007, 10:47 PM
Developers Unveil Resort Plans for Land Near Venice Airport



By PAUL QUINLAN
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
March 28, 2007

VENICE -- Six developers have assembled plans to transform vacant land at the Venice airport into a destination resort with shops, hotel rooms, restaurants and an array of marine, golf and aviation amenities.

The grassy fields, which surround two runways at Venice's small general aviation airport at the southern end of Venice island, have long enchanted developers.

In the grass, city leaders see opportunity: 451 acres that could yield leases worth hundreds of thousands of dollars annually from the sort of resort that just might help put this tiny city -- a dwarf compared to Sarasota and Naples, neighbors to the north and south -- on the map of Florida vacation destinations.

Scrutiny of the six proposals, which range from a quarter-billion-dollar resort to a project modeled after the Roman Colosseum and Forum, has already begun.

On Friday, a committee of three city officials and one City Council member, John Moore, will meet to review all six.

From there, the list will likely be trimmed before the city's airport board and City Council hear presentations, from which one will be selected, said city manager Marty Black.

"The land is extremely valuable. It could generate a lot of money for the airport fund, and it's been sitting out there for 60 years waiting for us to do something with it," said John Simmonds, the City Council member who also sits on the board that oversees the city's airport.

Indeed, the parcels border the Intracoastal Waterway and are home to a 27-hole golf course. On one side, traffic rushes by along U.S. 41. On the other, grassy sand dunes overlook Caspersen Beach.

But previous attempts to woo development have failed.

Three years ago, the city scrapped proposals from three developers because all included residential space, which the Federal Aviation Administration forbade.

Black said the city's chosen developer will participate in one or more public forums to take input from the community on how the plan should be tweaked or, possibly, overhauled.

But early proposals range from the exotic to the ambitious.

An Italian developer's plan for an $80 million "Colosseum Project" would wrap shops, restaurants, boutique shopping and hotel rooms into "an entertainment experience based on the unique and rich legacy of the Colosseum and Forum in Rome." The plan includes bringing gondolas to the Intracoastal Waterway.

Another development group's plan, the CAVU Cay Resort, calls for a 450-acre spread costing as much as $350 million dollars. Partners include Dick Nunis, the past chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and a 17-year member of the Walt Disney Company's board of directors; Joel Freedman, who developed Sarasota's Whole Foods Marketplace; and Robert Soran, president of the company that operates Marina Jack's on Sarasota Bay.

The group's plan includes specialty retail shopping, two hotels, a conference center, a marina and campground.

City Manager Marty Black said the developers behind the CAVU Cay proposal and another proposal, by Amalthea Properties Investment, "appeared to have given the most thought" to their project.

But he also noted the CAVU Cay Resort plan may be too large as it is.

The Amalthea Properties Investment proposal calls for a $197 million resort, complete with 350-room hotel, a 25,000-square-foot convention center and a 250-slip marina. The plan includes renovating the Venice Golf Association's 27-hole public course into an 18-hole "PGA championship level golf course."

In a sign of what a large-scale development might mean for Venice, Amalthea's proposal includes an economic analysis that predicts its development pumping $32.5 million annually into the city's economy and create 570 new jobs paying $10.6 million in wages.

A project called the Legacy Sky Marina and Golf Resort calls would cover 415 acres and include a 9-hole "executive" golf course and a full renovation of the 27 holes at the public Lake Venice Golf Club into a new 18-hole course. It also calls for mixed-use retail and office space, aviation facilities and a marina with 320 wet slips and 240 dry slips.

Another proposal, the Sky Harbour Airport Marina, spans 173 acres at a cost of $92 million. Plans call for a marina; aviation hangars, sales and service; and hotel, office and retail space.

A sixth plan by the Allen Morris Company, which focuses on aviation uses and could be combined with another developer's project, calls for 40 acres of "premier aeronautical facilities."

Efforts to develop the airport, built in the 1940s as a World War II flight training facility and later deeded to the city, have always come mired in rumor and controversy.

Some of the controversy stems from the sheer potential for profit that a successful developer could reap.

Other talk centers on the potential sale of the 27-hole public course by the Venice Golf Association, a private corporation whose secret list of shareholders could divide millions amongst themselves from a sale of their long-term lease with the city.

The group's attorney, Dan Boone, confirmed that several of the developers have contacted him to discuss such a deal but would not comment further.

Also a group of island residents and neighbors to the airport, organized as the Venice Neighborhoods Coalition, have fought development of the land for fear that it would clog Venice island's roads with traffic and waterways with boats.

Environmental concerns also could hinder development. The coalition has asked Sarasota County to enter a joint agreement with the city to protect an area along the banks that is home to more than 100 endangered sea turtles. City leaders have said they would pay to have the turtles moved and other environmental impacts abated.

City leaders say they have little choice but to develop the airport land, given FAA demands that the city reap as much value from the airport as possible so as to minimize the federal contributions needed for runway and other maintenance.

"It's not a park, it's an airport," said Mayor Fred Hammett. "The people that are advocating that we turn that into a park -- the FAA just isn't going to approve that."

Black, the city manager, said he expected the developers to make presentations to the airport advisory board and City Council in either late April or early May. Ground could turn on a development in as little as a year, Black said.

Figment!
03-30-2007, 09:30 AM
Lego Las Vegas Takes Shape at Calif. Theme Park




Associated Press
March 29, 2007

CARLSBAD, Calif. — What happens in Legoland Las Vegas will stay in Legoland Las Vegas — if the designers have anything to say about it.

With just hours to go before the official grand opening of a $1-million-plus scale model of the famed Las Vegas Strip, builders spent Wednesday snapping and glue-gunning the final few thousand bricks into place on replicas of 10 casinos — from the smooth black Luxor pyramid to the towering 20-foot Stratosphere, complete with a tiny working roller coaster shuttling green-faced passengers up and down the central spire.
Piles of little 3- to 4-inch Lego figurines — including scantily clad women, men handing out girlie fliers and partygoers toting neon green hurricane drinks — were stacked in bins and on the roofs of the waist-high casino buildings awaiting placement.

"We've got to get 2,000 little people in there this afternoon," design manager Pat DeMaria said as he surveyed the team of landscapers and engineers who were digging holes for tiny cacti and preparing to fill empty pools with water.

After years of complaints about the Disneyfication of Las Vegas, the famed Strip is getting the theme park treatment from DeMaria's designers. The new, 2-million-brick model recreates a handful of landmarks in intricate detail, from the bas-relief carvings on the campanile of the Venetian to the chic Tangerine bar set into the facade of the newly remodeled Treasure Island hotel.

The scale starts at 20-to-1 at the base, so the brick people don't seem dwarfed, and shrinks to 60-to-1 at the top, designers said.
About the only thing missing is any hint of gambling. Fiber-optic light boards advertise the Mirage dolphins and fake cabaret shows — in some cases headlined by the Lego designers' alter egos — but the constant jangle of slots and video poker machines is absent from the set.

Instead, there is a water-spitting Lego elephant, a two-track Lego monorail and automated Lego limousines that disappear into hotel-registration carports and then reappear on the other side. Kids can punch a button to see a parade of newlyweds come out of the Strip's infamous Little White Wedding Chapel — some in white gowns and tuxes, others in less formal nuptial garb.

"We wanted to make it kid-friendly," said Kristi Klein, the lead designer. "So there are lots of interactive elements for them, like the exploding Mirage volcano and the Treasure Island pirate ship."

Young Lego fans, drawn by the bright colors and all the moving parts, peered over yellow barricades that blocked off the new installation until its official opening Thursday.

The Las Vegas Miniland was built by a team of 15 designers in Carlsbad and at Lego headquarters in Billund, Denmark, over three years. It is the biggest scale model in the Legoland park, located 40 miles north of downtown San Diego, though the model Chrysler Building on the shiny New York New York casino is dwarfed by the plastic version rising a few yards away in the Lego Manhattan area.

"It's plastic replicas of fake copies of these great buildings," DeMaria said. "You have to take it a little tongue in cheek."

Figment!
03-30-2007, 09:34 AM
City Council Sinks Water Park Bids
Fremont restarts bidding, delaying opening by a year





By Chris De Benedetti | STAFF WRITER
The Argus
March 29, 2007

FREMONT — The city's long-planned water park in Central Park has been docked — but just temporarily, city officials said. The City Council voted Tuesday night to reject all construction bids for the project, and to restart the bidding process with the goal of receiving a lower bid.

The decision means the park likely will open in 2009, one year later than planned, city officials said.

The lowest of the rejected estimates recently submitted by two construction companies was $11.75 million — nearly $3 million more than the city's figures.
The council's unanimous rejection vote allowed city staff members to start over by re-advertising construction bids beginning today. Bids will be open for submission again in less than five weeks, starting May 1.

"I believe staff can generate savings for the city and that's why we're rebidding the project," Deputy Manager Christine Daniel said. "We'll know more on May 1."

The council also voted to swap $1.34 million of funds between the water park project and Warm Springs Community Park, a project that is nearly complete, Daniel said. The transfer of funds was a strictly bureaucratic move that will allow the city to meet various deadlines for projects funded with state money, city officials said.

Also known as the Family Water Play Facility, the proposed water park first was approved by the council in 2001 with a $10.8 million budget. That estimate grew to $14.67 million, which created a nearly $4 million gap that council members filled with other city park funds in December. Councilmember Steve Cho expressed concern Tuesday about rising costs, noting that the price tag could spiral more than $6 million above the original budget if new bids this spring are not lower. He asked if the city will recover its initial costs.
"That has not been part of the plan," Fremont Director of Parks and Recreation Annabelle Holland said.

"We are not a business; we are agovernment," City Manager Fred Diaz said. "Most of the projects that a city constructs ... we build them as amenities to the public. A park doesn't necessarily come with a payback over the course of 20 or 30 years."

Diaz said, "Most (community capital investments) have no revenue recovery, per se, for the construction of the facility itself."
Once built, the facility would be open from Memorial Day to Labor Day — or slightly more than three months each year. Despite being closed for nearly three-quarters of the year, the water park's first year of operation is expected to turn a profit, city officials said.

The Sports Management Group, a city-hired consultant company, did the project's market feasibility study. Its estimated expenses top out at $1.32 million, and its expected annual profit will range from $1.54 million to $1.63 million, according to the Berkeley firm.

The Sports Management Group is one of four consultant companies that Fremont officials have hired for the project at costs totaling about $1.4 million, Holland said. The firms' work has included design, bid-estimate analyses, construction management and feasibility studies.

The facility would be constructed on 4 acres on the southern edge of Central Park, site of the Puerto Penasco Swim Lagoon, a water-oriented recreation area from 1969 to 2001.

Fremont officials have envisioned that the new water park would provide a similar fun atmosphere, but with more modern amenities and large picnic areas for families and company parties.

Figment!
03-30-2007, 09:41 AM
Paradisus Palma Real Sets New Punta Cana Vacation Standard
The newly opened Paradisus Palma Real combines a prestigious Caribbean setting with world-class facilities that are attracting attention among vacationers in the Dominican Republic. The facility delivers the tropical paradise its name promises. With an array of onsite amenities and activities, the Sol Melia standards for pampering vacationers are met and surpassed at the new resort.




The Sol Group Corporation Press Release
March 29, 2007

Known for its beautiful beaches and elaborate resorts, Punta Cana now offers a luxury resort specifically designed to take vacationing in the Dominican Republic to a new level. The newly opened Paradisus Palma Real combines a prestigious Caribbean setting with world-class facilities that are attracting attention, even in this favorite destination city. Located on Bavaro Beach, about three hours from Santo Domingo, Punta Cana is served by one of the busiest and the better-connected airports in the Caribbean. Only 25 minutes from airport, the Paradisus Palma Real is at once reachable and removed from city bustle. Surrounded by vibrant tropical gardens, lush mangroves, and one of the most breathtaking white-powder beaches in the region, the facility offers the tropical paradise its name promises.

Paradisus Palma Real boasts 554 luxury suites, with terrace or balcony and all the comforts of the hotel’s plush surroundings. The resort spotlights its “Royal Service” option, 102 Suites and two oceanfront Presidential Suites that feature Sol Meliá’s renowned European five-star pampering.
Guests have their choice of the hotel’s six restaurants, serving cuisine from around the world. The array includes the International Buffet, a la carte restaurants offering Mediterranean, Japanese, and Chinese cuisines, and the Market Grill’s exquisitely prepared continental fare. Drinks are served at a swim-up pool bar and the Lobby Piano bar, two favorites among the six bars onsite. To round out an evening, vacationers can take advantage of the Casino and the city’s many live shows.

Recreational facilities available at the hotel include three outdoor pools set in magnificent gardens and terraces. Nearby are non-motorized water sports, and diving for PADI certified divers are easily arranged. For the less adventurous, there are four tennis courts, a gym complete with fitness trainer, an onsite jogging track and beach jogging, spinning, aerobics, daily Yoga, Tai-Chi and Pilates sections, kite surf clinics, horseback riding, bicycle excursions, and board games.

Golfers flock to the Cocotal Golf and Country Club, with its World Class Championship Golf Course designed by José Pepe Gancedo. The international team of the Sol Meliá Golf Academy offers professional lessons, and each stay at the Paradisus Palma Real includes unlimited green fees and golf equipment available for rent.

For relaxation, the Signature Spa frames a “Live the Water Bliss Experience” in a two-story full service environment with an extensive and elaborate array of treatments. Guests think of the spa as the symbol of the luxury, leisure, and pampered stays that are the overriding theme at the Paradisus Palma Real, providing an ideal new alternative to the Caribbean vacationer in search of a “royal” experience.