As Orlando’s IAAPA Expo 2022 approaches, California-based design studio Legacy Entertainment is expected to make its presence known at the major industry event with wind in its sails.
Legacy’s four owners are reflecting on their milestone year – and on the exciting developments yet to come. Taylor Jeffs, Legacy’s president and chief creative officer, says: “With six projects under construction, and another 10 in various stages of design, we are happy to announce that Legacy has continued to hold onto its place as Asia’s leading entertainment design firm for yet another fantastic year.”
Jeffs notes that the firm’s workload is wide and varied, with the projects spread across four countries and spanning a variety of disciplines, from world-class theme parks to next generation shopping destinations.
The Legacy executives revealed that Vietnam has recently emerged as one of the firm’s most important markets. Following the debut of The Sea Shell Aquarium at VinWonders Theme Park in April – which the company designed – Legacy has continued to remain in high demand among that country’s largest developers, with five major destinations currently in the works.
“Much like our work in Indonesia, our projects in Vietnam often require creative solutions by which our clients can offer their guests world-class experiences where the spending power of the consumer might be less than in more-developed tourism markets,” says Barry Kemper, Legacy’s chief operating officer. “Very often, these budget-conscious experiences can meet or exceed their world-class counterparts, located elsewhere around the world.”
In South Korea, another stronghold for Legacy, the all-new Lotte World Adventure Busan Theme Park has emerged as a very strong performer – so strong, in fact, that Legacy has also been developing new Dark Ride and Parade concepts for the chain’s flagship park in Seoul. In the wake of this success, Legacy has also been engaged as entertainment consultant for another major South Korean development, which is targeting a late 2024 opening.
“While we cannot give specifics at this moment about the major new South Korean project we are now actively designing, our upcoming work there has no benchmark. Our team has taken on the great creative challenge of pioneering something completely new – something that is guaranteed to shock and amaze audiences all around the globe,” says Marcus King, Legacy’s chief projects officer.
Despite China’s borders still being closed, Legacy has continued to make inroads within this all-important market. Most recently, the firm has designed a number of yet-to-be-announced major projects – one based on a globally renowned automobile brand, and another on a top-performing video game. Recently, Legacy also prevailed in international design competitions to create new destinations for Enlight, China’s largest private film and television studio, as well as OCT’s largest and most-ambitious resort ever.
Elsewhere in Asia, Legacy’s work also continues to remain popular in Indonesia, where the company historically has been responsible for the creation of three theme parks, two malls, and two e-ticket dark rides. On the heels of the successful launch of the new Trans Studio theme parks, Legacy was sought out by one of the country’s largest developers to serve as entertainment consultant for PIK 2, a new city the size of San Francisco that is currently being built near Jakarta. Details of the first project, currently well into construction, are expected to be released in the coming months.
“The secret behind Legacy’s rapid growth and enduring success is simpler than one might think,” says Eric Carnagey, Legacy’s managing director. “We don’t simply design things or environments. We design and deliver ideas. The alchemy of our dreamers and designers cannot be duplicated! We are continually humbled and thrilled that the uniqueness of our products have been – and remain – recognised and valued by the dozens of the world’s top developers and biggest entertainment brands.”
