Renderings of planned DreamVision park in Fort Worth from 2015. Courtesy of DreamVision
FLORENCE, Ala. (AP) — A man who promised to build a $3.5 billion theme park in northwest Alabama is going to prison for fraud.
A judge in Florence sentenced Bryan Keith Robinson of Killen to 10 years in prison during a hearing Tuesday. Robinson was ordered to repay investors more than $7 million.
Robinson announced plans three years ago to build DreamVision SoundScape, a 1,400-acre amusement park in the Shoals area of northwest Alabama. He and others also announced plans for a similar project in Fort Worth.
Neither park was ever built, and Robinson pleaded guilty to fraud.
The TimesDaily reports that court documents indicate 42 people who invested in Robinson’s plan, with the money supposedly going to finance the project. Instead, authorities allege Robinson spent the money on personal expenses in a Ponzi-style scheme.
Robinson and his company, DreamVision, came to Fort Worth in February 2015 and touted plans to build a $3.5 billion Fort Worth theme park called DreamVision Texas. According to the company’s promotional materials the theme park would “transport guests through multiple themed lands and attractions. Rising up in the center of the park will be the iconic DreamVision Mountain, a towering winter wonderland and one of the largest indoor winter snow experiences in the world, featuring winter sports like skiing, snowboarding and bobsledding.
“The realistic winter landscape, inspired by the artwork of Thomas Kinkade, will be created by technology developed by Malcolm Clulow, the foremost expert in indoor snowmaking. Themed lands, including Dreamscape Tinsel Town, Nadia’s Storybook Land and Dreamscape Metropolis, will surround DreamVision Mountain, each offering unique attractions, rides and adventure.”
There was very little activity following the February 2015 announcement.
– This report includes material from the Fort Worth Business Press archives.