[MickeysGirl]

BUCHAREST, Romania -- A bloody battle is brewing in Romania as environmentalists protest over government plans to build a Dracula theme park in a Transylvanian town.

Groups including the U.N's cultural body UNESCO to Greenpeace are opposed to the park, which they say will spoil the local environment and the medieval heritage of the town of Sighisoara.

But the government says it will not allow protesters to dictate its plans and that a survey to be released into the park's location next month will determine whether the park will go ahead or not.

"We respect UNESCO's stand ... but this is a government project and UNESCO cannot put constraints on it," a tourism ministry spokesman told Reuters on Monday.

Protesters though vowed to step up the fight. "Building a Dracula park near Sighisoara would endanger the cultural value of the city," UNESCO Secretary-General Koichiro Matsuura told Reuters this month during a visit to Romania.

Sighisoara is the birthplace of the 15th century Romanian Count Vlad Tepes, or "Vlad the Impaler" who inspired Bram Stoker's novel "Dracula."

Some opponents say they fear that the town's moral values are in danger. "This place will be invaded by those who practise satanic rites and by drugs," local priest Hans Frolich told Reuters.

"What could children see in such a park? People who sharpen their teeth and drink blood or some crazy guys clad in bed sheets and posing as ghosts? It's ridiculous," Frolich said.

The government says the 30 million euro (dollars) Disney-style park will bring about 3,000 jobs to Sighisoara, a town that has recently suffered from high unemployment.

Source: CNN.com
Monday, September 30, 2002 Posted: 1:07 PM EDT (1707 GMT)

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[MickeysGirl]

:mEars: Oops I forgot! :mEars:

[drcorey]

oh ya, lets honor one of the sickest people in history, thats fun.

[CrashPQ]

Count Dragul wasn't a vampire, nor did he drink blood. All he did was impale people on spikes. I can live with the imaginary element, as an attraction in a studio park. As for a whole park, I'll need a few years to mull that one over.

[Psycho_Alice]

Fine Romania doesnt want it? LOL Bring it to the US! Better yet put it in the middle of San Fernando Valley in Cali! There will be a big calling from people there!! hahaha

[netenyahoo]

I think it could be an interesting and fun park if done right. It doesn't need to be a guts and blood place, but have stuff about vampires and fun rides and scary things.

[MickeysGirl]

:mEars: You got that right PsychoAlice I can think of several places that would love a Vampire Themed Park! Look how many copies the Vampire Chronicles Anne Rice has sold, let alone several other authors like Hamilton & Huff who are making a very decent living writing about them!
As for you other guys it's in Romania & no one is forcing you to go there! :mEars: