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Global leisure giant Merlin Entertainments (Merlin), the world’s second biggest visitor attraction operator, announced plans to build the company’s fifth US LEGOLAND Discovery Center (LDC) in the new Ridge Hill Mall opened last October in Westchester County, the first-ever LEGOLAND Discovery Center in New York. This follows an announcement last week outlining the company’s plans to open its first ever Canadian attraction – also and LDC – in Toronto.
Merlin currently has fifteen attractions in North America including the latest a Water Park in LEGOLAND Florida which opened only last weekend. A sixteenth, a SEA LIFE aquarium in Kansas City, Missouri is scheduled to open later in June.
This new $12m (€9.6m) project at Ridge Hill will open in late Spring 2013. Commenting Glenn Earlam, Managing Director of Merlin’s Midway Attractions Operating Group, which includes the LDCs, said: “We are also absolutely delighted to be opening in this exciting new retail development. Ridge Hill provides an exciting mix of retail, dining and quality leisure attractions like the LDC and I have no doubt that is destined to become a very popular leisure ‘destination’ not just for local Westchester County family visitors, but also for those from the greater metropolitan area of New York - a catchment area with a high proportion of families with young children - so exactly the right location for a LEGOLAND Discovery Center.”
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the developer - Forest City Ratner Companies (FCRC) - for its support. We are already working with FCRC in Manhattan where we have a major Madame Tussauds wax attraction, and I hope that this will reinforce what is already a successful working relationship. Indeed the enthusiasm with which this project has been greeted by FCRC, and particularly the Ridge Hill development team, and the quality of the overall development were key factors in our decision to come here. Our plan now is to start work on the site later this summer in order to open as early as possible in 2013, which we expect to be late Spring/early Summer.”
“Forest City Ratner Companies is extremely pleased to welcome LEGOLAND Discovery Center to Westchester’s Ridge Hill,” said Kathy Welch, Senior Vice President for Retail Development at FCRC. “The addition of this fantastic attraction is going to complement the outstanding mix of tenants already in full-swing and those contemplated to be opened by the end of this year.”
“Ridge Hill retailers have been attracting thousands of new shoppers daily and we believe that the LEGOLAND Discovery Center is going to add immeasurably to the excitement already being generated and further enhance Ridge Hill’s position as an outstanding family destination. We are particularly excited by the popular MINILAND exhibit - found in every LEGOLAND Park and attraction – which reflects the iconic buildings of each individual attraction’s location. Here in Ridge Hill we understand that this will include buildings from the Manhattan Skyline like the new Freedom Tower and Empire State Building, as well as more local landmarks nominated by the local community.” concluded Ms. Welch.
Plans and designs are already being drawn up for the 33,000 square-foot (about 3.065 square meters) site and construction is expected to begin in July. LEGO models for the Ridge Hill attraction will be made in Merlin’s specialist studios around the world and shipped in during construction ready for the opening in 2013.
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NewsParcs will do a full coverage of the IAAPA Attractions Expo 2013 in Orlando to have a look at the latest trends and developments of the global theme park industry.
