One of Sweden’s oldest zoos is to undergo new management and a multi-million pound renovation with Kongeparken theme park CEO and Lund Group owner Håkon Lund brought in to turn the stuttering park around.
Founded in 1953 by the Skånes Djurpark Foundation, Skånes Djurpark, near Hoor, specialises in Nordic fauna and houses about 900 animals, representing 100 species. The zoo currently gets around 200,000 visitors annually but is failing to make ends meet financially, having never been profitable without government subsidy.
Kongeparken, once also a failing attraction, was transformed by Lund and his team, who have turned the theme park into the biggest amusement park in the southwest of Norway and Rogaland's biggest tourist attraction.
Lund revealed that there would be significant financial investment, with the Lund group set to invest SKR728.3m (US$100m, €79m, £62.8m) over the next ten years to turn the zoo into a world-class visitor attraction based around the tradition of Hoor and the surrounding region.
“The park is owned by the government,” said Lund speaking exclusively to
AM2. “They called us a year ago to come down and asked us to do what we could do to help the zoo survive.
“It has been in operation since 1953 and was the first zoo in all of Scandinavia that has said 'no' to cages. It’s very progressive and very advanced for its age.”
The zoo is aiming to target 0-12 year-olds, with Lund adding that it would be “the best for that age group in Sweden” and “very, very specific for that age group” under the rebranding.
Skånes Djurpark is currently in negotiation with four animal-related IPs as part of the relaunch and rebranding. Two are Swedish and two are international, with one based in the UK – further details are expected to be released in the coming months.
The Lund Group is set to take over operation of the facility when the current season ends on 3 November.
