Dome to become amusement park

From next year the revamped millennium dome will become "an electrifying entertainment experience that people will want to visit again and again".

From next year the revamped millennium dome will become "an electrifying entertainment experience that people will want to visit again and again".

This is the sales pitch of Dome Europe,the company which has won the battle to take over the troubled £758 million folly at the start of next year.

Dome Europe edged out a rival, more business-orientated, bid from the Legacy consortium to claim the prize of the giant North Greenwich landmark.

Supported by Japanese finance house Nomura, Dome Europe plans to pump around £800 million into the Dome and its surrounding area.

Within three years, the company hopes to be attracting five million visitors a year to the Dome.

The company said that it planned to continue with the Dome's current price structure, which means a single adult ticket will cost £20 and five-person family tickets will cost a total of £57.

But the company added that there will be a one-year season ticket, priced initially at £30, available for the attraction.

Dome Europe said Nomura had underwritten about £400 million to support the plans and that Dome Europe's development partners would spend a further £400 million on the site.

However, the company plans to retain some parts of the current millennium experience and could even keep the popular and spectacular Millennium Show in some form.

Dome Europe may also retain some of the existing Dome sponsors on board and hopes that its new attraction could open only six weeks after the end-of-2000 closure and in time for the February half-term holidays.

Outside the Dome, there are plans by the company for a mix of leisure and retail outlets to make the Greenwich peninsula - a contaminated eyesore just a few years ago - a place for both visitors and residents to enjoy day and night.