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Council want world class operator for tower
BLACKPOOL will seek a new operator for the Tower if the council pulls off its ambitious bid to buy the landmark.
The council is asking for companies interested in running the attraction to come forward and expects responses from across the world.
Town hall bosses are putting together a 40m bid for the Tower and Winter Gardens, backed by European funding.
Although it will not know until March if it has been successful, the council needs to be in a position to "hit the ground running" if the acquisition goes ahead.
Originally it was proposed current owner Leisure Parcs would continue to operate both venues for the first two years but bosses at the firm have now said they will only run the Tower until the end of the 2010 season.
It means a new operator must be in place by the end of October, should the bid succeed.
Helen France, executive director of tourism and regeneration at Blackpool Council, said: "We are asking operators to come forward and express an interest. We need to do this now so we can hit the ground running.
"It is not committing us or any potential organisations that are interested to anything.
"It's just flagging up a possi- bility."
Blackpool Council leader Coun Peter Callow said he expected some big names to come forward.
He added: "We have had to advertise it throughout Europe but that means we're going worldwide really because I'm sure companies from outside Europe will be getting touch.
"We will want suitably qualified companies with a proven track record because these facilities are priceless."
The contract details the terms of a 20-year lease the council is hoping to sign with a suitable organisation that will inc-rease visitor numbers to the Tower and to the town.
It also wants the winning bidder to be capable of attracting market leading brands to the resort and says they must have previous experience of running a world class resort with more than 250,000 visitors.
To be eligible the business must have assets of 10m and an operating profit of 2.5m.
Observatory
The contract adds: "Following the acquisition, the council intends to work with the chosen operator to develop a capital expenditure programme which will include installation of a new observatory feature in the Tower, refurbishment of the facade and facilitate the installation of new world class visitor attractions in the Tower complex."
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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