Walibi Wavre To Become Six Flags Belgium; $30 Mil Infusion Planned

There are now two Six Flags branded parks in Europe.

Walibi Wavre, the flagship of the Walibi chain, is now Six Flags Belgium.

Located in Brussels, the 30-ride park was a "natural and logical choice for rebranding," said Six Flags President Gary Story. "Brussels is a dynamic market with a strong population base."

Six Flags purchased the park along with the rest of the Walibi chain in 1998. Since then six rides have been added and extensive work has been done on the park's infrastructure.

The park will receive an investment of approximately $30 million (U.S.) in 2001. Fifteen rides will be added, including a Vekoma wooden coaster and a Vekoma Boomerang. Other new rides will include a Zierer Wave Swinger and a Samba Balloon, Convoy, Barnstormer, Crazy Submarine, and a Mini-Jet, all from Zamperla.

In 2000, the Six Flags brand made its European debut when Walibi Flevo, in The Netherlands, was turned into Six Flags Holland.

Story said the success of the rebranding in Holland buoyed officials optimism that the Six Flags brand, long a successful brand in the United States, could make it in Europe. "Holland had a very successful year in 2000, its first as a Six Flags park," Story noted.

While officials won't give out attendance marks, AB estimates attendance at Six Flags Holland grew to 1,475,000 in 2000, up from an estimated 680,000 in 1999.

In 2000, Walibi Wavre did an estimated 1,170,000 at the gate, up 20,000 from 1999. Eyes will be on the park in 2001 to see if it can duplicate the phenomenal jump at the gate that its sister park in Holland did during its first year as a Six Flags park.

With 45 rides, Six Flags Belgium will have a similar capacity with several other European parks that do more than two million a year, including Europa Park in Germany, Alton Towers in England, and Bakken in Denmark.

"I don't think they will come close to doubling their attendance as they did in Holland," said Reinoud van Assendelft de Coningh, an industry consultant based in The Netherlands. "They will do well and their cross-marketing with Six Flags Holland will also help their attendance." A season pass for any one of the Six Flags holdings in Europe is good at all the others.

Assendelft believes the Six Flags chain concept will continue to work in Europe and he expects to see several more of the Six Flags holdings in Europe become Six Flags branded properties. "They will do well and will continue to grow their attendance. As they grow, so will all the parks in Europe. Their marketing efforts and their quality product will help call attention to all the parks and will end up helping everyone grow."