Merlin Entertainments is to continue the roll out of its Legoland Discovery Center (LDC) brand in North America with the opening of new attractions in New York and Toronto, the latter representing the company’s first venture in Canada.
Both will open by spring/early summer of 2013, the Toronto attraction at Vaughan Mills and the New York outlet at Ridge Hill Mall in Westchester County. Each represents an investment of $12 million.
Designed as a two to three-hour indoor experience for families with children aged 3 to 10-years, LDC provide a mix of play areas, Lego rides, a 4D cinema, party rooms and multiple Lego building opportunities – as well as a ‘Miniland’ area featuring Lego models of local landmarks.
One of the Greater Toronto’s premier shopping and entertainment destinations, more than 5.4 million consumers reside within target market of Vaughan Mills, a high proportion of whom are families with young children. The New York LDC, meanwhile, will be the first in the state, and the fifth in the USA.
“Ridge Hill provides an exciting mix of retail, dining and quality leisure attractions,” notes Glenn Earlam, Merlin’s managing director of ‘Midway’ attractions, including Legoland Discovery Centers. “I have no doubt that LDC 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.”
Merlin currently has 15 individual attraction units within North America, and Canada will be the 21st country in which its has established operations.
