Warner Reportedly Planning Film Studio Tour in Germany

Warner Brothers is reportedly negotiating to invest $180 million in a German theme park, a move that could lead to the second major American stake in a European amusement park.

The Westdeutsche Allgemeine newspaper has reported that Warner Bros., the Burbank-based movie studio owned by Time Warner Inc., is negotiating to purchase Bavaria Film Park, a small park in Bottrop, Germany, with attractions pegged to German and American movies. Warner would renovate the park, using as a model the Universal Studios Tour, according to the newspaper. Warner would also build a movie production studio on the property, which is owned by the German film group Bavaria, the paper said.

Time Warner spokeswoman Jeanette Lerman declined to confirm or deny the German report. She would only say that plans “have not been publicly announced.” The German newspaper said Bavaria officials confirmed the negotiations.

Warner Bros.’ Movie World near Brisbane, Australia, its only theme park outside the United States, has been a “tremendous success,” said spokeswoman Charlotte Kamdel.

If Warner develops the park in Germany, it would be the second American project of its kind in Europe. Walt Disney Co.’s Euro Disney outside Paris so far has operated in the red because of poor attendance.

According to the German newspaper, the park owned by Bavaria--much smaller than Euro Disney--would be closed for two years, beginning this fall, during which Warner would reorganize and expand the attractions.

The Bavaria park was opened two years ago, but it has so far been only a modest success.

Among the new features planned by Warner Bros. would be attractions similar to the Universal tour’s earthquake adventure and great white shark feature.

Bottrop is a small city near the Rhine, about 35 miles north of Cologne in the former West Germany.

Separately on Tuesday, Time Warner disclosed that it will pay about $70 million to acquire full ownership of Six Flags Entertainment Corp., the Parsippany, N.J., company that operates the seven Six Flags theme parks in the United States.