Parques Reunidos reveals Lionsgate FEC plans

European park operator Parques Reunidos has partnered with  Lionsgate to develop as many as 20 “branded leisure centres” in shopping areas within various cities.

Each indoor park/family entertainment centre (FEC) style faculty will feature themed attractions, dining and retail dedicated to Lionsgate intellectual properties such as The Hunger Games, Saw, Now You See Me, Orange is the New Black and Nashville. Parques Reunidos has already collaborated with Lionsgate at Motiongate, the new movie park in the UAE it is operating on behalf of DXB Entertainments (Dubai Parks and Resorts).

By expanding its footprint in the young adult market, the Spanish-based group, which operates in 14 countries worldwide, hopes to diversify and expand upon its strong family audience. It already has plans, for instance, to open Nickelodeon branded FECS at the Thader Shopping Mall (Murcia, Spain), Dolce Vita Tejo (Lisbon), intu Lakeside (London) and Xanadú in Madrid, where it will also open an aquarium within the coming months. The location of the first Lionsgate project will be announced in due course.

“This agreement enables us to continue growing by using one of the strongest tools for international expansion – leisure centres in shopping malls and high traffic shopping areas – and we are doing this hand in hand with Lionsgate, one of the most successful film and television production companies in the world,” says Parques Reunidos CEO, Fernando Eiroa.

“We’re excited to be partnering with Parques Reunidos,” says Jenefer Brown, senior vice-president of location based entertainment at Lionsgate. “They have proven success in the leisure market, and we feel they are the perfect partners to help us bring fans closer to the properties they love through these compelling, innovative experiences.”