admin Beijing – A global leader in location-based family entertainment, Merlin Entertainments has announced its plans to open the largest Legoland park in the world, Legoland resort in Jinshan district in Shanghai to cash in on the rising family tourism market in China.
The project is expected to open before 2023. With the Shanghai Jinshan district government, Chinese media and entertainment giant CMC, and the investment company behind the Lego empire Kirkbi, Merlin Entertainments has reached an agreement to invest an estimated US$500 million (S$679 million) in the resort.
This resort will also come with a theme hotel having 250 rooms, coupled with other neighbouring facilities.
Families with children aged between two and 12 is the major focus for the resort featuring Lego brick elements and Chinese cultural characteristics. Globally there are eight Lego parks and more than 120 attractions in 25 countries around the world are operating by Merlin Entertainments.
Besides Merlin operates 13 attractions in China which includes Madame Tussauds, Legoland Discovery Centres, Dungeons,, the Sea Life Centre, Peppa Pig World of Play, and Little BIG City.
Chief executive officer of Merlin Entertainments Mr Nick Varney stated “A gateway city with modern consumers, Shanghai is already the home for many Merlin brands, and it has been our ambition for some time to build a full-scale theme park that offers visitors the opportunities to immerse themselves in a unique Legoland experience.”
Director of Jinshan district in Shanghai Mr Hu Weiguo said “The Legoland Park in Jinshan not only supports the economic bridge between Shanghai and Zhejiang province, and better contributes to the high-quality integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta Region; it also promotes Shanghai as a theme park destination with Disney Resort in the east and Legoland Resort in the west, supporting the local tourism economy.”
The location Legoland Park in Jinshan district is one-hour distance to downtown Shanghai and one-hour drive to 16 major cities in the Yangtze River Delta and two-hour drive to about 55 million potential visitors in the region. In 2005, Merlin Entertainments purchased the Legoland parks from the Lego Group and owns 70 per cent of the Legoland franchise, the other 30 per cent belonging to the Lego Group. Owned by the Blackstone Group, Merlin has risen to be the second-largest amusement company after Walt Disney Parks.
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