Lancaster City Council is on the hunt for a development partner to help regenerate the Frontierland site in Morecambe.
A tender process is under way to finally develop the former fairground land on Marine Road West, which has been mainly empty since the Wild West theme park closed almost 25 years ago.
The council is inviting bids from commercial leisure, hospitality and mixed-use developers or consortia to promote and develop a comprehensive leisure and hospitality-led development "that will help capitalise on Eden Project Morecambe and the estimated 3,700 peak daily visitors".
The procurement process is now open for submissions, and the deadline for interested parties to submit their bids is January 31 2025.
The contract is set to begin in December 2025, with an expected completion date of September 2027.
A council spokesperson said: "It is an opportunity to broaden Morecambe’s offer, help attract new visitors and convert day trippers into overnight stays.
"However, the focus is not just on visitors, and the redevelopment of the site must also benefit residents, particularly the leisure offer, and bolster the town’s tourism economy."
The council also anticipates that the project will create significant local employment opportunities, both during the construction phase and once the site is operational.
Jonathan Noad, chief officer for sustainable growth at Lancaster City Council, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to transform one of Morecambe's most iconic sites into a vibrant destination that will benefit both our residents and the growing number of visitors to the area.
“The redevelopment will play a key role in helping Morecambe thrive by boosting the local economy and improving leisure offerings for the community. We're keen to hear from developers who share our vision and can help us deliver a lasting legacy for the town."
Before getting to this stage, the council - who bought the land in 2021 - invited expressions of interest from would-be developers, drew up a list of objectives for the site, did a public consultation, and held a tour of the land for prospective partners.
Full details about the tender and how to apply can be found on the Chest procurement portal.
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