Tourexpi
Just 15 minutes from Bucharest’s international
airport, construction planning is underway for Dracula Land, a €1 billion
entertainment complex that aspires to become Europe’s largest destination of
its kind. The project, initiated and coordinated by Romanian entrepreneur Dragoș
Dobrescu, is being developed entirely with private capital, without public or
EU funding.
Officially launched on 3 December, Dracula Land will
occupy a consolidated 160-hectare site and is conceived as far more than a
classic theme park. At its core lies a 780,000-square-metre attraction area
divided into six immersive zones, complemented by large-scale entertainment,
hospitality, retail, sports and technology facilities.
Large-scale entertainment and mixed-use concept
Plans include a 22,500-seat arena designed for
concerts and esports events, three hotels with a total of 1,200 rooms, and a
50,000-square-metre water park featuring one of Europe’s largest wave pools.
The project also integrates a luxury fashion outlet developed with the team
behind The Mall Firenze, a 4.5-kilometre professional racing circuit, and a
15,000-square-metre technology hub intended to host more than 1,000
workstations for startups in gaming, artificial intelligence and digital
creative industries.
Experienced leadership and strategic advisory
Dobrescu is best known as founder of the Monolit brand
and developer of Vitalitas, currently Europe’s largest senior care centre. For
Dracula Land, he has assembled a strategic advisory team that includes former
Romanian Prime Minister Florin Cîțu, through BNV Advisory, providing financial
and regulatory expertise.
“Dracula Land is more than a theme park; it is a
national symbol demonstrating Romania’s capacity to create world-class
landmarks,” Dobrescu said at the project launch, describing it as a long-term
economic engine combining tourism, culture, technology and innovation.
Themed worlds and international design partners
The park’s themed zones draw on gothic and literary
imagery associated with Romania’s best-known legend. Planned areas include
“Transylvania,” inspired by Carpathian villages, “London Town” with a Victorian
atmosphere, and “Port of New Orleans,” reflecting the mystique of the American
South. More than 40 attractions are being designed by Creative Studio Berlin,
whose portfolio includes projects for Europa-Park in Germany.
Digital twin and virtual expansion
Alongside the physical development, the project
introduces a full digital counterpart built in Unreal Engine 5. This virtual
version of Dracula Land will allow global audiences to attend concerts and
events synchronised in real time with on-site activities. The digital ecosystem
also includes DraculaCoin as a native token and NFT-based systems intended for
digital ownership and personalised experiences.
Long preparation and timeline
The development follows eight years of land
consolidation involving 83 individual parcels, followed by more than three
years of studies and master planning. International partners include Creative
Studio Berlin, Piuarch Milano, The Mall Firenze team, RB+P, as well as Deloitte
and Țuca Zbârcea & Asociații for financial and legal advisory. Zoning
approval is expected by mid-2026, with construction scheduled to begin in
September and an opening targeted as early as 2027.
Economic expectations
In its initial phase, Dracula Land is projected to
attract around three million visitors annually and generate more than 5,000
direct and indirect jobs across tourism, technology and services. Over the next
decade, the total economic impact is estimated at €5 billion.
With direct highway access and proximity to Bucharest,
the project is positioned to encourage transit passengers to extend their stays
and to place Romania more prominently on the European entertainment map.
Image
Credit: © DraculaLand
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