China to get its own LEGOLAND

Alton Towers owner Merlin Entertainments to build attractions across country as part of joint venture with media firm. Plans to develop a Legoland park in Shanghai and other visitor attractions across China have been unveiled by Merlin Entertainments.

These projects will see existing Merlin brands such as The Dungeons adapted for the local market, in partnership with China Media Capital (CMC), it added. The announcement was timed to coincide with President Xi Jinping’s state visit to the UK, as the two countries seek to strengthen financial ties.

Last month, Merlin revealed a sharp drop in revenue across its theme park division as visitors stayed away following a rollercoaster accident at its Alton Towers theme park in June.

Speaking about the joint-venture, The Merlin chief executive, Nick Varney, identified China as a key growth market for the group.

He added: “We see this partnership as providing a significant opportunity to accelerate our plans. We are also very excited to be working with CMC on the development and rollout of new brands.

“By working together in partnership we will be able to combine our expertise in operating world-class attractions with CMC’s insight and expertise in the Chinese market.”