One of the most ambitious construction projects currently in Germany is run by Malaysian entrepreneur Colin Au. Au who holds 25% of the Tropical Islands entity and the Tanjong Group are building a new kind of theme park - Topical Islands. The company is about to open the gigantic theme park in Eastern Germany using the
former manufacturing sites of doomed Cargolifter:

"Mr Au acquired the giant dome for the bargain basement price of �14m (�9.6m) after the airbase factory collapsed in the late 90s leaving the German taxpayer with an �80m bill.

This area around is known in Germany for quite a few huge public investments that went into teh ground i.e. Cargolifter, semiconductor facility in Frankfurt, Formula One Race Track. So I even more admire Mr. Au's investment:

"Our main target is Berliners," he said. "It's very cold in Berlin for nine months of the year. Most people can't fly to Majorca or Cuba for the weekend. They can come here instead.

"Unlike the Eden Project it won't be too humid. And there will also be entertainment."

"Evening visitors would see a show enacting the history of Brazil, complete with semi-naked Indians, shaven-headed Roman Catholic priests, and Portuguese soldiers, who on closer inspection during a preview yesterday, appeared to be women wearing false moustaches. The island would also be open 24 hours and would have a late-night techno nightclub."

If you have live in Berlin you have felt the desire to get off the city for the beaches (that is Baltic Sea in the short summer) - so tropical beaches a short way south can be a great value proposition.

"We have decided to bring some sun to the Germans. After all, the weather here can be so depressing."

I'm really curious how it develops.