Outrage over plans to build £85m D-Day theme park
PLANS to build an £85million Disneyland-style tourist attraction near the D-Day landing beaches have angered war veterans.
The development is the brainchild of the President of Normandy, Herve Morin, who would like to see the theme park open in time for the 80th anniversary of the invasion in 2024.
However, his plans have been criticised by French military historians who have already collected more than 3,000 names on a petition in a bid to put the brakes on the “disrespectful” project.
Although the attraction – nicknamed D-Day Land – would not be on the beaches, it would be close enough to see the five sectors used by Allied troops to invade the region during the Second World War.
Respect
Mr Morin added: “All that’s left is to find building land, not on the D-Day beaches themselves, but very close to Juno, Omaha or Utah.”
He said he hoped a Hollywood director would help choreograph a “spectacular” permanent show which would attract thousands to the region.
His ideas include battle re-enactments, cinemas, fairground rides and sound and light shows.
Tony Hayes, of Veterans Association UK, said: “I totally disagree with it.
“They shouldn’t be doing re-enactments there at all near the beach where the lads landed. It lacks respect for those killed during the landings for the veterans who survived it. It would be like building Disneyland in the middle of Belfast.They’ll be building casinos there next,” he added.
And a spokesman for France’s National Research Group, which has set up the petition, said: “The Normandy landings is a page in the history of France which should be respected and not turned into a money-spinning business venture.”
Members of the group fear the theme park would be in the style of the hugely popular Disneyland Paris, which attracts more than 15 million visitors a year.
About five million tourists visit Normandy annually to see the historical sites, museums and cemeteries.
Last year, then Prime Minister Theresa May inaugurated another memorial to the fallen in the region.