On March 12, 2025, Ralf-Richard Kenter, authorized representative of Phantasialand’s management, spoke to the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger about the planned expansion of the theme park. The goal is to establish Phantasialand as a prime short-stay destination, boost visitor numbers, and secure hundreds of jobs—despite opposition from environmentalists.
Short-Stay Visitors Key to Future Success
Phantasialand has long captivated guests with its unique themed worlds and personal experiences. Ralf-Richard Kenter emphasizes that around 1,800 employees give their all daily, earning the park regular awards. However, he warns that this alone does not guarantee long-term stability. “The competition among theme parks hinges on who can establish themselves as a short-stay destination,” Kenter told reporter Wolfram Kämpf. Short-stay visitors, willing to travel longer distances with budgets three to four times higher than day guests, are expected to increase the share of overnight stays to about a quarter. This requires new offerings and additional space. Currently, most day visitors come from within a 200-kilometer radius. “That limits our potential,” Kenter notes. In contrast, short-stay guests travel farther and spend more, funding continuous park improvements. The park’s three existing hotels already demonstrate the concept’s promise.New Attractions Over Compact Layout
Many visitors value Phantasialand’s short walking distances, but Kenter sees no lasting advantage in this. “There’s simply no room for additional offerings, especially for short-stay guests,” he explains. The current site cannot accommodate the planned expansions. The new area will feature immersive experiences like Rookburgh, engaging all senses. The Hotel Charles Lindbergh there already attracts over 50 percent of its guests from Benelux and France, showcasing international appeal beyond the region. Plans include an aquapark and a theater-concert hall, ideas first proposed in the 2012 regional planning process. Specific details depend on building regulations to be set in the development planning phase.Economic Boost for the Region
The expansion will create jobs. A study by FH Bad Honnef, commissioned by the city of Brühl, shows that one job at Phantasialand sustains two to three more in Brühl and the surrounding area. The park currently employs 1,800 people, a number set to rise to around 2,630 post-expansion. Indirectly, 5,300 to 7,900 regional jobs could benefit, driven by local contracts for gastronomy supplies, hotel goods, building maintenance, technical systems, and construction of new entertainment offerings.Environmental Debate and Planning Permissions
Since the 2020 local election, environmental groups and Brühl’s red-green council majority have stalled the plans with a moratorium in the SPD-Grünen coalition agreement, denying residents a chance to engage in the planning process. Kenter points to the regional plan approved unanimously on December 14, 2012, by the Regionalrat Köln, backed by CDU, SPD, FDP, and Grünen votes. “Legally, the expansion is secure, including nature and species protection,” he asserts, dismissing concerns that a transparent process could harm the park’s carefree image. Alternatives like the eastern parking lots were reviewed in the regional planning but ruled out due to emission regulations. A land swap with North Rhine-Westphalia will exchange 14 hectares of expansion space for 38 hectares of forest. Compensation areas in and near the Ville green corridor, currently leased to a farmer, will be reforested after construction begins to create climate-resilient woodland.Opponents fear flooding risks from soil sealing during heavy rain. Kenter counters, “Only projects that retain water are approvable.” Rainwater will infiltrate on-site, a necessity since the existing park lies below the expansion area, and most of the new site sits in a depression where water doesn’t flow uphill.
