Dreaming up zombies
Everyone wants in on the zombie action - cities throughout North America already have a day where a mass of people dressed up as zombies walk the streets. There's even a wolrd zombie day! (It falls on 26 October so you know...) And more zombie walks are appearing around the world in countries including France, the UK, and New Zealand. But there is a city in the USA who want to take zombie fun to another level.
Detroit is unlikely to be many people's idea of a city break. It's perhaps better known as the USA's neglected and abandoned city. Having once thrived as the motor industry capital, it all went to pot with the motor industry's collapse. Detroit saw it's once million-plus population dwinde to its present 700,000.
Detroit's abandoned train station
It's already become pretty popular with photographers and camera-wielding tourists (aren't we all photographers now?!) looking to capture the beauty of the city's abandoned buildings.
Current thinking by city officials is to focus on the areas where people are living - and to either leave the large swathes of abandoned buildings to just sit there and demolish them when they have the money. But one Michigan resident thinks the city needs more creative solutions and has started to gather support to turn a large section full of abandoned buildings into an interactive theme park… with zombies! Yes, zombies.
Just an idea for now...
Just a concept at the moment, creators are hoping to raise $145,000 to get their idea up and running.
Taking inspiration from the Heidelberg Project, which turned a neighbourhood into a big art installation bringing tourists to the area, they believe Z World Detroit could do a lot to revitalise the city as well as bring jobs and money to hard hit neighbourhoods.
Surviving the zombie apocalypse
A visit to the theme park with your friends would entail entering an enclosed area (they would use existing abandoned buildings but transform them to make them safe for people to run around…and run away from zombies presumably) where you would meet fellow apocalypse survivors. Your main objective is to survive until the morning without getting caught by the zombies (played by actors) that have been unleashed. No weapons are involved - survival is based on looking for supplies, building makeshift fortifications and generally avoiding them… unless of course you choose to hunt them! Everyone (including the zombies) will be wearing specially designed patches. Lose all yours and you become a zombie where you would then start to hunt your friends and former allies. Take all of a zombie's patches and you'll have succeeded in eliminating that zombie. Are you still with me?
On their website, they say:
"For that time, Z World Detroit will be your world, while you forget about any other problems. You will be chased. You will hide. You will hunt. You will have an experience you will never forget. You will make new friends. You will be exhausted and exhilarated. It is a sprawling and chaotic real-life video game and the strangest camping trip of your life, all within a surreal location."
I love it! If you want to help make this zombie dream a reality, you can support it by donating to their fundraising site on Indiegogo - or just spreading the word (particularly to any developers who would be up for supporting it!) Or if you just want to find out more, it's also worth a visit.
The idea has a long way to go before becoming a reality. As they wish to use a large section of a neighbourhood where most of the buildings are owned by the city, they would need to get permission first. Which could prove to be a challenge in itself since the mayor's office has so far rejected the idea.
More adventures with zombies
Paintballing with zombies
Over in another city in the USA, a zombie theme park is already set to open again in September. Set in an old disused truck stop near Atlanta, for $30, you can hide from and hunt the undead in a game of paintball.
Atlanta Zombie Apocalypse Safety Wolf Recreation Outpost
| 4215 Thurman Road Conley, GA 30288 |
www.atlantazombie.com
Seeking thrills in the USA
Whether you're looking to live out your favourite zombie movie or like your roller coasters alongside magical kingdoms, you'll find it all in the USA. And we've got all your car hire needs covered from Detroit car hire to Florida car hire and all the way west to California car hire.