Budapest: “Aquaworld” to Open in 2008

In the north of Budapest, Europe’s second largest recreational pool facility is to be built on 86,000-square metre large premises. The project planned by the Hungarian real estate developer InterEstate comprises a total investment of around 67 million euros. Twenty per cent of the investments are covered by InterEstate, the major proportion of the rest by CIB Bank and Hype Alpe Adria. Among other things, 21 swimming pools are in planning as well as various slides with a total length of 900 metres, a wave and surf pool, and a 180-metre long wildwater section. The facility is to become a new tourist highlight for Budapest. Themeing will be done based on designs from the Far East and will include both a monumental Angkor temple ruin and rope bridges. Six thousand visitors are expected each day, with 350 employees to accommodate them. Parallel to the Aquaworld facility, a five-star Ramada Hotel (Ramada is part of the Wyndham Hotel Group) with 309 rooms and a conference room for up to 550 people will go into construction. The grand opening for Aquaworld is scheduled for September 2008. (eap)