Blackpool Pleasure Beach opened their Big Blue Hotel property in 2003, after numerous of years in the planning. The building was constructed on the former south car park and was designed by Fiona Gilje, daughter of company Managing Director Geoffrey Thompson.
Also in 2003, the park relaunched their Grand Prix ride, replacing the gas guzzling petrol cars with new electric vehicles.
Ahead of the hotel opening, the park hyped the new hotel with a large scale advertising campaign, some of which is shown below. The Big Blue Hotel was originally conceived as the Pleasure Beach Lodge.
