Edited from PRNewswire
Merlin Entertainments announced a multi-million dollar investment in the biggest family tourist centre in the world with the planned opening of Legoland Florida.
Merlin purchased the historical Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven Florida from property investment company Land South Group and will open Legoland Florida on the site at the end of 2011. The deal to buy the 145-acre site includes the freehold on the current theme park and waterpark as well as an operating lease in perpetuity on the historic botanical gardens.
The Florida development will be Merlin’s second Legoland Park in North America. Its design will mirror the successful concept of the four existing Legoland Parks in Denmark, Germany, U.K. and California.
“Legoland Florida will be one of the most exciting and important projects Merlin has ever developed. It is a unique opportunity for us; Florida is the biggest family tourist center in the world,” Nick Varney, chief executive of Merlin Entertainments, said in a news release. We have been looking for the right site there for some time and in Winter Haven we plan to create one of the best and certainly most beautiful, theme parks in the world. Legoland California has already proven how much U.S. families love the unique Legoland concept.”
The development follows Legoland California which opened in 1999. Legoland California was recently voted the country’s best children’s theme park by Amusement Today for the sixth year running. It is also recognized as the fastest growing theme park in the US, enjoying an increase in visitor numbers year-on-year, including 6 percent in 2009.
Legoland Florida will be the biggest Legoland Park ever opened and will offer a unique mix of more than 50 rides, shows and attractions, including spectacular Lego models and other interactive elements for the whole family to enjoy together.
The project is expected to create more than 1,000 new jobs by opening.