Alton Towers‘ new indoor attraction, dubbed ‘Project Horizon’, has been given the green light. However, the park is keeping the details under wraps for now.
Owned by Merlin Entertainments, Alton Towers submitted its plans for the mysterious attraction to Staffordshire Moorlands District Council last year.
Although planning permission has been granted for Project Horizon, Alton Towers’ general manager Francis Jackson remained tight-lipped while addressing Staffordshire Moorland District councillors (via BBC).
“Alton Towers is the UK’s most popular and largest theme park, it is therefore an important generator of tourism – particularly in the Staffordshire area – and we are a major local employer,” he said.
‘Project Horizon’
“It is vital that Alton Towers refreshes its offer in order to remain competitive and continue to attract visitors to allow for continued investment in the estate.
“Ongoing investment in attractions is even more important against the backdrop of the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Jackson said the park is excited to “bring something new to the resort”.
The new attraction will be housed within a building on a site used as a maintenance and storage yard and previously occupied by the Alton Mouse. The plans include the main building, an entrance feature, a plaza and a queue area.
Councillor Ben Emery said councillors were also in the dark about what will go inside the new building, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said.
“Highly secretive”
“None of us know what’s going on in there, because it’s highly secretive,” he confirmed.
Alton Towers’ upcoming dark ride, ‘The Curse at Alton Manor’, is opening on 18 March. It will feature special effects and visuals that have never been seen before in a UK theme park.
“The British public remain gripped by a desire to be shocked and surprised,” said Bianca Sammut, Alton Towers Resort’s divisional director.
Elsewhere, Thorpe Park’s plans for a new roller coaster, known as ‘Project Exodus’, have been approved by Runnymede Borough Council.
Images: Merlin Entertainments
