Plans have been unveiled for a Western-themed amusement park in Deadwood, South Dakota.

The US$80m (£61m, €73m) Gold Nugget theme park would transport visitors back to the Old West of the 1870s, featuring a number of rides, a waterpark called The Lost Mine Sluice and a steam train connecting the new attraction with the nearby town.

It’s thought the park will incorporate live action to create an authentic and immersive experience. Costumed actors will play card sharks, miners and muleskinners as Gold Nugget hopes to introduce historical reenactment into the theme park environment, which will also take inspiration from Western movies.

The proposed park is divided into three themed areas inspired by the miners, the cowboys and the Native Americans. There will also be restaurants and bars, a lodge, 100 log cabins and a number of camping sites.

The project is the brainchild of David Johnson of Casper, Wyoming, who, along with his partners, is seeking the right site. The group is working with theme park consultant Dennis Spiegel of International Theme Park Services (ITPS).

Gold Nugget estimates up to 430,000 people could visit the park every year, staying between four and six hours. It’s expected that the new attraction would attract more tourists and help regenerate the area.

Early feasibility studies indicate a theme park here could do well, with a lack of other entertainment options in the area paired with the easy accessibility of Deadwood from Interstate 90. The town is famous as the eponymous setting of the acclaimed HBO Western Deadwood which starred Ian McShane as murderous saloon owner Al Swearengen.

If the park wins public support and planning approval, it could open by 2019.