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Adventure park plan for Bunratty


A DIASPORA/genealogy visitor centre and a themed adventure park are among the possibilities for development at a 120-acre site next to Bunratty Castle.

Flan Quilligan, tourism product development manager with Shannon Development; Pat Daly, tourism division manager and Ruairi Deane, tourism product development executive, launching the opportunity for interested parties to develop the 120 acre land bank at Bunratty. Photograph by John KellyShannon Development own the site and are seeking proposals for a major new visitor attraction.
Last week, the regional development company announced it is seeking proposals for the site.
Shannon Development CEO Dr Vincent Cunnane said, “Shannon Heritage, our tourism subsidiary company, owns and manages Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, which is already a major international visitor attraction.
“It attracts 400,000 visitors annually and contributes an estimated €20 million in spin-off revenue for the area annually. We want to see a new generation of project ideas, which will continue to enhance Bunratty and the Shannon Region’s reputation as an international visitor destination. The Bunratty land bank project forms part of our overall tourism product development strategy, which will this year see, among other projects, work start on a €5.7m re-development of King John’s Castle in Limerick.”
The Bunratty Landbank Initiative has been launched in the US as part of an overall investment campaign for the project and other initiatives in the region.
Highlighting the importance of the project, Flan Quilligan, tourism product development manager with Shannon Development said, “We believe a significant opportunity exists at our Bunratty landbank to develop complementary and sustainable visitor facilities and attractions, which are in keeping with the authenticity of the existing visitor attraction and surrounding area. The site is zoned for tourism development by Clare County Council and we look forward to receiving expressions of interest and a range of potential project ideas.”
Shannon Development has put forward a few examples of the type of projects, which could be considered. These include an Ireland through the Ages History and Culture Centre, which would incorporate a diaspora visitor centre and a genealogy centre. The company’s research suggests that there may be an opportunity to develop a one-stop shop for visitors to learn as much as possible about Ireland’s history and culture.
It has also found there may be room for a themed adventure park at the location or another form of leisure facility, which could attract outdoor adventure and soft adventure tourism.
In a statement, the company said, “The preferred option for Shannon Development is to enter into a development and management agreement with a preferred party for the development and operation of the new attraction. Alternative proposals, which could include variations to this preferred option may also be considered.”
Clare TD Michael McNamara welcomed the news. “Bunratty Castle and Folk Park were innovative in their time as was the Craggaunowen pre-historic park, featuring a crannóg, the ring fort, the Medieval castle and the Brendan Boat. This marks a return to form by the agency.
“The agency is seeking expressions of interest from third parties to develop a major tourism development on a 120-acre land bank at Bunratty that would boost tourism revenues in the Mid-West. Shannon Development also produces innovative promotional literature on the region but, I think, better synergies have to be developed with Fáilte Ireland to get them to tourists all over Ireland. With that in mind, I’m organising a meeting with both agencies and other actors in tourism in the region on Friday,” Mr McNamara said.

 

Options open for site

IT’S hoped a preferred option for the Bunratty site will be identified by the end of next year, according to Flan Quilligan, tourism product development manager with Shannon Development.
Speaking to The Clare Champion, Mr Quilligan said, “The Doonbeg Golf Project, which we initiated some years ago, was developed through a similar process to what we’re now doing at Bunratty. Also, we identified the redevelopment of King John’s Castle in Limerick City as a priority for the area and secured grant aid there. In relation to this, an opportunity has now been identified to develop our Bunratty land bank and our research has identified a number of possibilities.”
Although they have put forward a couple of examples of things that could go into the site, he said Shannon Development don’t want to be too specific. “We’re looking for expressions of interest and our aim is for complementary and sustainable facilities and attractions that are in keeping with the authenticity of the existing visitor attraction and the surrounding area. We’re leaving it flexible at the moment; we’re not pinning down exactly what it is because we want to give potential investors and developers flexibility to come in with various things. We will be monitoring very closely that it is in keeping with what is already at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park in terms of the culture and heritage product that is there. We’re not trying to put people in a certain direction.”
Mr Quilligan said extensive research has been done already. “The Bunratty Castle and Folk Park has been there for many years now. It has attracted up to 400,000 people annually. We carried out fairly major product identification and research works last year and the year before and as part of our strategic plan we identified a number of projects and this was one we saw we should pursue at this time,” he said.
The closing date for expressions of interest is March 30 of next year. A preferred option will probably be identified by the end of 2012. “We’re going to have to assess what we get in and our plan is to shortlist a minimum of three to five interested parties but that’s only an estimate. We don’t want to put a specific timeline on it but if we get proposals from suitable parties we will take a couple of months to assess those and we’d expect to have someone on board by the end of 2012. Again, that’s an estimate and we don’t want to put definite closing dates on it.”
He feels there is a need for this type of new facility. “Major visitor attractions are needed in this region for a lot of reasons. Shannon Airport is a great resource right on its doorstep and the airport is a great advantage for a project like this and it will help the airport as well.”
Interested parties are invited to look at the notice on the www.etenders.gov.ie website, while Shannon Development have also publicised it in the US.

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