<P> The demolition of the Thorpe Park Estate in the 1930s saw the site transform into a gravel pit, originally owned by Ready Mixed Concrete Limited . In the late 1970s they decided to flood part of the site and create an educational theme park . The park opened as a small attraction, building slowly up to RMCs first large installation of "X: \ No Way Out" in 1996 . In 1998, The Tussauds Group bought the park (they also owned the nearby Chessington World of Adventures). From the outset the park started opening key attractions such as Tidal Wave in 2000, Colossus in 2002, Nemesis Inferno in 2003 and Stealth in 2006 . </P> <P> In May 2007, Blackstone Group purchased The Tussauds Group from then - owner Dubai International Capital for US $1.9 billion; the company was merged by Blackstone into Merlin Entertainments and Merlin took over operation of Thorpe Park . Dubai International Capital also gained 20% of Merlin Entertainments . </P> <P> On 17 July 2007, as part of the financing for the Tussauds deal, Merlin sold Thorpe Park, to private investor Nick Leslau and his investment firm Prestbury under a sale and leaseback agreement . Although it is owned by Prestbury, the site is operated by Merlin based on a renewable 35 - year lease . </P> <P> Merlin decided to target teenagers and young adults, adding rides such as Saw - The Ride and The Swarm . In 2014, Merlin decided target a more broad - based market with new attractions such as Angry Birds Land, I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here! and the park's onsite hotel . </P>

How much does thorpe park make a day