Valérie Pécresse, president of the Île-de-France region, said on Monday that officials are awaiting the signing of an agreement to build a "Dragon Ball"-themed amusement park in the Val-d'Oise region, describing the project as being on the scale of Disney.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was in Paris until Monday, August 24, and was expected to sign numerous agreements with French President Emmanuel Macron.
According to reporting cited by the source, France and Saudi Arabia have for the past year been quietly negotiating to redevelop the former Mirapolis site in Courdimanche, in the Val-d'Oise department, which closed in 1991, into a large scale amusement park worth one billion euros based on the "Dragon Ball" manga universe.
What Pécresse said
Speaking on TF1's "Bonjour ! La Matinale TF1," Pécresse said there was a very important meeting at the Élysée Palace that day that might result in the agreement being signed, adding that at that stage nothing had been signed.
She said the region had been working on the project for eighteen months, calling it a project that was indeed on the scale of Disney and one that could genuinely boost tourism appeal in Île-de-France. She said they were awaiting the signature.
Pécresse, a former Les Républicains candidate in the French presidential election, also said France was the world's top tourist destination and needed the jobs and investment the project would bring.
Élysée response
The Élysée declined to comment directly on the project but said Macron was keen to call for greater Saudi investment in France. A response was expected by the end of the day, with the signing of numerous agreements anticipated.
Background
Disneyland Paris, located east of the French capital, opened 35 years ago and remains one of Europe's most visited tourist attractions. The Val-d'Oise project would mark a third major amusement park near Paris if it goes ahead.
