- Longford forest resort to open in 2019
- Will have a capacity of 1,800 when finished
- Ballymahon has a population of 1,563
Center Parcs Longford Forest is working towards an opening date in 2019, CEO Martin Dalby told community representatives, residents, Councillors, TD’s, Senators and local businesses at a meeting in Ballymahon.
Mr Dalby said the project will provide 750 jobs during construction. Once open, the forest holiday village will have capacity for up to 2,500 guests and employ up to 1,000 people in permanent jobs.
The resort will have capacity of 1,800 holidaymakers when finished.
Many of these roles are expected to be filled by employees between the ages of 18 and 24, and the majority of employees are likely to live locally and in the surrounding midlands region.
Center Parcs estimates that, when operational, the new holiday village will add €32m to Ireland’s GDP per annum.
The event was attended by Mary Mitchell-O’Connor, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, to mark the recent planning approval for the development of a €233m Center Parcs Longford Forest holiday village at Newcastle Wood in Co. Longford.
In his first visit to Longford since the planning decision was announced last month, he thanks the local community for their support of the project and he provided an update on the next steps in the journey to bring the landmark ‘Center Parcs Longford Forest’ tourism development to fruition.
Center Parcs Longford Forest will provide 500 lodges, designed with families and the environment in mind, more than 100 indoor and outdoor activities, a spa, a range of restaurants and cafés and the iconic Subtropical Swimming Paradise, with water rides and fun for all ages.
“I’ve been to Ballymahon many times over the last couple of years and we’ve had extensive dialogue with all interested parties about our proposals but today is markedly different. Today, the conversations are no longer about ‘if’ Center Parcs Longford Forest will get the go ahead. Today, we are talking about ‘when’ the development of Center Parcs Longford Forest will go ahead.
