A beloved Spanish theme park that has been closed since the Covid pandemic could soon reopen its doors after an outcry from locals.
The Costa del Sol’s Tivoli World amusement park in Benalmádena was built in 1972, and named after the world-famous Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen.
The park was forced to close in 2020 amid mass lockdowns and business closures when Covid-19 spread across the world, and remained shuttered due to the economic crisis and large debts, The Sun reports.
But four years on the Andalusian parliament is to debate whether it should be reopened, to the delight of many locals.
This year, an online community called Nostalgicos de Tivoli emerged, which is lobbying for its return and has gathered over 750 signatures to present to parliament.
Benalmádena mayor Juan Antonio Lara has previously said there are several companies and investment funds interested in getting the park back in operation, and has said he wants Tivoli back before the end of his current mandate, in 2027, Spanish outlet Sur reports.
Andalucía MP Inmaculada Nieto met with union leaders representing ex-park staffers and said: “Tivoli goes beyond the limits of Benalmádena and the province of Malaga, it is a strategic issue for tourism on the whole of the Costa del Sol and Andalucía.”
“All the administrations are concerned with the reopening of Tivoli, including the Junta [Andalucia’s regional government], so we demand that they sit at a table with the company and the representation of the staff to reach a solution and once again generate jobs and wealth,” she added.
“Tivoli belongs to the sentimental memory of several generations of people in Andalucía who, thanks to these facilities, was the first amusement park we had the chance to go to.
“This would be a profitable venture today. Legally there is no impediment to it being able to open its doors,” she concluded.
Popular rides at the park, which was one the biggest in the region, include its Castle of Terror, Ferris wheels and the Mysterious Ship, The Sun reports.
The park proved hugely popular, reportedly attracting as many as 35 million guests during the nearly five decades it was open.
It was also a major entertainment hub for the local area, boasting an open-air auditorium which hosted flamenco dancing and performances by international stars.
Curiously, staff remain at the park years after its closure. 80 or so of them have remained guardians of the site, and maintain the rides in the hope that it opens its doors once more, Euro Weekly News reports.
A public protest by former employees is set to take place on October 6 at the gates of the amusement park calling on politicians to take action, The Sun reports.
