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Attractiepark Rotterdam | Netherlands | Amusement Park

"The Rotterdam Amusement Park, which was under construction, founded by Hennie van der Most, is already receiving a blow. The arrival of two major attractions, including a Schwarzkopf Shuttle Loop Coaster, is suddenly canceled due to stricter safety requirements, according to the founder. The attraction that many fans were looking for, the launch roller coaster by beloved manufacturer Schwarzkopf, will not come anyway. This is the founder of Hennie van der Most to the Dutch Algemeen Dagblad. According to Mr. van der Most, the attraction was canceled due to stricter safety requirements. "I probably have to make all kinds of adjustments, which can cost one million euros, or maybe one and a half, and I do not want to embark on an adventure like that." The tens of meters high thrill ride 'Evolution' is also being deleted. Both attractions will be sold abroad. The cancellation is quite unexpected, as Hennie van der Most said in an interview with Brakesection Magazine last month that they were busy with the Shuttle Loop and were talking to a firm in Canada to renovate the launch. In the site of the two top attractions, van der Most plans a large theater that should be there by 2020."
 
Merged with the existing topic in Park Constriction.
 
Apparently this is still underway, somewhat. This picture is from April 30:

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This page has a bunch of construction updates, in reverse chronological order, starting a bit down the page. That's where I found the picture above:
 
The "Still underway, somewhat" status from three years ago still seems to hold true. Or at least, it was in Februrary. I found this article in Dutch:



Rotterdam amusement park still not open: politicians' patience is running out​


02-16-2024, 12:09 pm Image: @Laura_uit​



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Entrepreneur Hennie van der Most has been working on Rotterdam Amusement Park, on the site of a former incinerator, for more than ten years. In 2024, the opening date is still not in sight. The patience of Rotterdam politicians is running out. The Volt and ChristenUnie factions in particular are done with the project. They want to look at alternatives for the location.

Volt councilor Tim Kind says that years ago he first cycled past signs with the name of the amusement park on them. "After two years you start to think: yes, Rotterdam Amusement Park, it is still not there." Now we are ten years later. "Then something slowly starts to brew. Then you start to get angrier and angrier."

This article (which I can't get Google Translate to work on) seems to suggest they plan to open in March 2025:

So, er, thread still stickied.
 
This article (which I can't get Google Translate to work on) seems to suggest they plan to open in March 2025:
Managed to cram it through Google Translate!
Rotterdam - Rotterdam Amusement Park will open on Sunday, March 23, 2025. On that day, owner Hennie van der Most turns 75 and he wants to finally, finally, open the doors of his amusement park on Doklaan to the public. "From that day on, things took off."

Many Rotterdam residents wonder whether an amusement park at the Maashaven will ever happen. De Havenloods organized a tour for those people through a competition in the app. They could take a look around themselves and ask Van der Most questions.

To everyone's surprise, we were told the opening date during the introduction to the office. “I will be 75 on March 23 next year, which falls on a Sunday. Then it goes off. Then we are open. For all of Rotterdam!”


Scoop​

It is not the first time that the amusement park boss has mentioned a date. He has done that often in recent years, to journalists. The visitors therefore react somewhat giggly. They all realize that Van der Most is telling a scoop here, but they also know that he has done this before since he was given a leasehold of the site from the municipality in 2012. A month ago he said that he had unlearned that. That he is also impatient, but that everything must first be completely good in Rotterdam Amusement Park.

Before the tour starts, we are shown all kinds of photos and videos. For 45 minutes. Of countless attractions, and the occasional family snapshot that accidentally ended up in the presentation. Van der Most talks in detail about buying up things and then reusing them in Rotterdam, and about the problems this causes with permits. With endless procedures and long lines of inspectors and officials. “I have spent a million euros on paperwork alone in recent years.”

City marketing​

His perseverance and reuse of materials command admiration. “I think this man deserves more support,” says Lisanne Dorlas. “An amusement park made of recycled material, shouldn't that be a wonderful thing for the municipality to enjoy? Great city marketing! Although I do wonder whether March 23 is realistic.”

Peter Hage from Hoogvliet likes to be surprised. “But I hold my breath. I've been cycling past here for years and I really wondered if something was still happening behind that closed gate. Nice to be able to look around here now. And I must say that the man's passion is heart-warming.”

Haunted house​

The tour takes us about two hours: Van der Most talks so much that everything runs late. Up the stairs, through the corridors, past all kinds of attractions that are already ready. The haunted house has even been specially turned on for visitors. While Van der Most quietly continues talking somewhere at the front of the procession, he disappears into a corridor full of fog. Skeletons are popping up left and right that want to eat us. The photographer looks increasingly anxious.

Camping​

The sun is shining outside. There Van der Most shows, among other things, the rocking ship, the future theater and the cathedral: the enormous building of the former AVR. “I wanted to turn them into gigantic slides. People from the municipality came again to say that it was not safe enough, so get rid of those slides. I now have a new idea: a campsite. I create all kinds of floors and put up chic tents everywhere, with beautiful bathrooms. For everyone who wants to camp here!”

Sounds like an eccentric old man that is throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks!
 
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