It was reported over the weekend that a top US theme park operator, with the help of international investors, may be looking to build a major project on more than 200 acres of land that includes a majority of Artegon Marketplace on International Drive, and a 78-acre parcel of land just south of the mall.

The Artegon marketplace which bills itself as the anti-mall, is Florida’s largest indoor artisan marketplace offering eclectic shopping, food and entertainment options. The Orlando Business Journal reported that sources, who wished to remain anonymous, provided them the information. OBJ wrote that the 78 acres south of the mall has, “been part of several visions, including the former Orlando Thrill Park project, which fizzled out years ago, and later the $50 million Acquasol project that recently sought a six-month extension on its water permits, but has yet to show any sign of life.“To show that 78-acre parcel's potential, Acquasol was designed to be a 300,000-square-foot outdoor recreational adventure sports complex with two 150-room hotels with room to spare for expansion.”Artegon, which is currently for sale, has more than 100 acres of land. According to the OBJ the property can be used for retail, hotel, timeshare and theme park use, which would enable a theme park developer to buy the land, get government approval and quickly begin construction. So, the big question is of course, who’s the buyer? Nobody is saying, but whoever they are – the competition from Disney, Universal and SeaWorld - the big three already firmly entrenched in the area - will be formidable. We’re watching this one.