Roller coaster fiasco: Serengeti Park fights for survival!

Roller coaster fiasco: Serengeti Park fights for survival!

A popular amusement park in Lower Saxony is struggling with significant challenges. The Serengeti Park in Hodenhagen has been the focus of negative headlines for some time. The large roller coaster “Godzimba” has been shut down for four years because there are massive problems with its approval. The manufacturing company and the metal construction company blame each other, which further complicates the situation. The cost of this project has now risen to a staggering 7.9 million euros.

Park boss Fabrizio Sepe describes the current situation as a “catastrophe” for the medium-sized family business. Due to the approval issues, the park requires data that is withheld by the design company. This not only causes standstill, but also financial pressure, as the park relies on new attractions, among other things, to maintain visitor numbers.

Financial difficulties

The crisis is exacerbated by the ambitious planning of a new restaurant that will be housed in an old Bundeswehr Airbus. However, transporting this A310 from Hanover Airport to Hodenhagen turns out to be more expensive than originally thought: instead of 250,000 euros, the costs now amount to 945,000 euros. An additional 260,000 euros will be added for tying up 480 trees along the transport route. In total, the cost of purchasing and transporting the Airbus could exceed five million euros, further exacerbating the park's financial difficulties.

Although Serengeti Park attracts approximately 750,000 visitors annually and has existed since 1974, support for the park is currently sparse. A fundraising campaign only raised a few thousand euros and there are concerns that the financial situation could jeopardize the future of the park. However, Sepe emphasizes that the park is not in danger of being closed and that the company is doing well overall, even if the challenges are enormous, as Kreiszeitung reports.

Special features of the park

Serengeti Park covers an impressive 220 hectares and is home to around 1,500 exotic animals and more than 100 attractions and shows. Particularly noteworthy are the 1,000 light objects, which include large animal and fantasy figures. To further increase its appeal, the restaurant in the Airbus will have 200 seats and could become a new crowd puller with its unique atmosphere.

The park remains optimistic and continues to plan new attractions and experiences for visitors despite the setbacks. Finally, we can only hope that the problems will be solved soon and that the Serengeti Park can shine in its full splendor again.