Walibi Rhône-Alpes 3.02

Walibi Rhône-Alpes is a French theme park located in the commune of Les Avenières, in the Isère department. It is the largest theme park of the Rhône-Alpes region. The park contains more than 33 rides and it covers an area of 35 hectares.The park had an income of 8,8 million euros in 2005, and it greets over 400,000 visitors yearly.Walibi Rhône-Alpes also contains a 13,000 m² waterpark called L'Île aux Pirates (previously Aqualibi).As of 2006, the park is owned and operated by Compagnie des Alpes, which also owns many theme parks and ski resorts across Europe.HistoryThe park opened in 1979 under the name Avenir Land. The Walibi group would acquire the park in 1989, renaming it Walibi Rhône-Alpes.In 1986, Walibi introduced water rides with the creation of a waterpark called Aqualibi. It would be given a makeover in 2006, becoming L'Île aux Pirates (French for Pirates' Island), and featuring a Caribbean theme.Sale to Six FlagsIn 1998, the park would change hands once again and it became part of the Six Flags chain, as part of the American company's international expansion.Sale to Star ParksHowever, six years later, in 2004, Six Flags sold most of its European parks to Star Parks. The exception was Warner Bros. Movie World Madrid, which was sold back to Time Warner and renamed Warner Bros. Park and later Parque Warner Madrid in 2006. The Walibi parks would be transferred to Compagnie des Alpes the following year, and they've belonged to the French company ever since.