Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
Reprinted from Atlanta Journal Constitution
A Legoland Discovery Centre – a small indoor attraction based on the tiny plastic brick children’s toys from Denmark – is being planned for metro Atlanta, a broker said Friday.
The company that will develop it – Merlin Entertainment Group of the United Kingdom – may also seek to bring its wax museum brand — Madame Tussauds — to Atlanta, said Howard Samuels, the company’s national broker with Samuels & Co. in Los Angeles.
The location for the Legoland attraction – which would charge admission of $15 for kids and $19 for adults – is still in negotiations, Samuels said. The attraction would include an Atlanta skyline made of Legos.
(more…)
Tags: amusement, Atlanta, entaintment, lego, Legoland, world of coke
Posted in Industry News | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
Reprinted from North County Times
A proposal to build a 254-room, Lego-themed hotel at the Legoland California amusement park won the support it needed Tuesday from the Carlsbad City Council.
The state’s Coastal Commission also is expected to soon sign off on the plans, but when construction will begin is uncertain, project backers said, adding that it depends on national economic conditions.
“We need to see signs of recovery first,” Legoland general manager Peter Ronchetti told the City Council. (more…)
Tags: amusement, amusement park, hotel, lego, Legoland, Legoland Hotel
Posted in Industry News | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
Reprinted from Star-Telegraph
A $12 million Legoland Discovery Centre, an attraction centered on the popular children’s building blocks, will be coming to Grapevine Mills mall, the city said Tuesday.
The only other U.S. Legoland Discovery Centre opened last year outside Chicago. Legoland Discovery Centre and the Legoland theme park in California are developments of U.K.-based Merlin Entertainment Group, reportedly the world’s second-biggest operator of visitor attractions.
The Grapevine City Council and the board of the Tax Increment Financing District No. 1, which was established several years ago for the mall, approved a two-phase, $1 million incentive package for the project. Merlin Entertainment will receive $500,000 when it completes the facility and $500,000 when it completes an accompanying 10,000-square-foot miniature golf facility made from Legos. (more…)
Tags: amusement, Dallas, entertainment, Grapevine, lego, Legoland, shopping mall
Posted in Industry News | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, October 20th, 2009
Reprinted from channelnewsasia.com
Island resort Sentosa will soon be home to the world’s tallest duel roller-coaster ride and movie stars such as Marilyn Monroe, Shrek and the motley mob of Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria last spotted in Madagascar,the movie.
The Universal Studios theme-park which will be housed on the 49 hectares Resorts World at Sentosa, revealed Tuesday its two dozen attractions, including 18 rides and attractions specially created or adapted for Singapore. (more…)
Tags: amusement, attraction, Retail, Sentosa, singapore, Universal Studios
Posted in Industry News | No Comments »
Thursday, October 15th, 2009
Reprinted from People’s Daily Online
Beijing is going to raise 50 billion yuan to build up Chinese Animation and Game City as China’s “animation Hollywood and Disneyland”.
Besides, Beijing will provide 100 million yuan each year as financial suport for the Animation city which is located in the former site of Shougang Group, China’s eighth largest steel maker.
In the 83-hectare area, the Animation city will include six major function areas such as theme park, trade management center, research and production center, business service platform, office building, hotel and living area.
At the moment, some online game companies have already entered the Animation city, such as sohugame and Linekong. Famous internet companies like Netease, Tencent and Giant are also listed on the business plan.
Beijing government vows to provide favorable policies on taxation, land development, infrastructure construction, financial support and talents recruitment.
By People’s Daily Online
Tags: amusement, Animation City, Beijing, China
Posted in Industry News | No Comments »
Thursday, October 15th, 2009
Reprinted from Orlando Sentinel
The ‘Sum of All Thrills’ uses robot-arm technology that Universal Orlando is also believed to be using for a new Harry Potter ride
Guests ride the Sum of All Thrills simulator ride at Epcot, during the grand opening of the attraction at Walt Disney World, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009. The giant robotic arm –the KUKA RoboSim 4-D Simulator– powers the riders’ experience, in which guests custom design their own thrill ride using math and science principles, and then ride the simulator. (JOE BURBANK, ORLANDO SENTINEL / October 14, 2009) (more…)
Tags: amusement, Disney, Industry News
Posted in Industry News | No Comments »
Friday, October 9th, 2009
In the past several years, much has been written about the proposed and controversial redevelopment plans for the boardwalk and adjacent amusement parks of Coney Island. While a great deal of the attention has been focused on the redevelopment plans of Thor Equities, the once popular Brooklyn seaside resort does not lack in alternative schemes suggested by everyone from theme park managers to the Bloomberg administration to the Municipal Art Society of New York.
In short, opposition to Thor’s plan have been centered around the firm’s plan for as many as a 1,000 hotel rooms and 500,000 square feet of retail space including some big boxes. Alternative suggestions for Coney Island range from “three or four wind in your face rides” to an “eye-popping” attraction akin to the London Eye – not bad suggestions but clearly the product of observers that lack a real sense of the historic Coney Island, let alone what is requires to make the redevelopment an economic success. (more…)
Tags: amusement, andrew lloyd webber, Bloomberg, coney island, new york, redevelopment, Retail, the phantom of the opera, theatre, Thor
Posted in Culture, Real Estate Development, Retail, Specialty Retail | No Comments »