The Winter Haven community and other interested citizens will get their first look at plans for LEGOLAND® Florida on Thursday, July 8 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Orange Dome on Cypress Gardens Boulevard. John Ussher, General Manager for LEGOLAND® Development notes, “This is just a friendly get together to tell people a little bit about the park. There will be a building event and some other activities.”
Those other activities include scale models of the park, video and blackboard plan displays and, of course, a LEGO play area for the children.
The event is a “drop by anytime during those hours” sort of unveiling and, expecting a large crowd, organizers chose the venue for its size and available parking.
Winter Haven will be home to America’s second LEGOLAND theme park and, in terms of acreage, the largest of Merlin Entertainments five LEGOLAND venues. The park is expected to open in Fall 2011 … just in time for the City’s Centennial Anniversary.
Pictured above, Merlin Entertainments CEO Nick Varney announces Winter Haven’s
selection as the site for LEGOLAND® Florida – January 21, 2010.
Winter Haven Chamber and City officials visited LEGOLAND California on April 8 and 9, 2010. The group spent five hours touring the park with General Manager Peter Ronchetti and CFO Brian Shaw. Information concerning the visit was presented at the City Commission’s April 26 meeting. The slide presentation below is a pictorial review of the the beautiful LEGOLAND California Park.
Renovations on the Cypress Gardens site will begin in summer. Watch for plans and artist renderings of the LEGOLAND Florida park in July.
City of Winter Haven and Winter Haven Chamber representatives visited Carlsbad and Legoland California April 8 and 9. The group met with Carlsbad Chamber and City officials on Thursday and enjoyed a five-hour Legoland visit on Friday. Since many local folks aren’t quite sure what to expect … here are a few observations:
Expect a park designed to entertain children two to twelve years old and involve their parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles in that experience.
Expect lush landscaping with photographic sight lines in the best traditions of Dick and Julie Pope.
Expect a gourmet dining experience – no exaggeration here. Traditional burgers and hot dogs are available but add to that such items as gourmet wood fired pizzas, Asian chicken stir fry, spicy shrimp linguini, Carne Asada steak nachos, Cajun salmon, spinach and pear salad and much, much more. You’ll also find child “right-sized” buffet lines.
Expect to become addicted to Granny’s Apple Fries (a Legoland original!) Warm Granny Smith apple fries are dusted with cinnamon and sugar and served with a vanilla cream dipping sauce. (Pictured left)
Expect bright primary colors and millions upon millions of Lego bricks used in sculptures and creations.
Expect a Miniland USA so complete and complex with examples such as the Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore, The U. S. Capitol, Washington Monument and New York skyline. Our Miniland will have its own unique mix of Lego brick creations, but these were part of just the Miniland USA area of the park, and it alone could take more than a day to explore and appreciate its intricate detail. (Below)
Expect rides that have parents and children participating together. Rides that move on their own – but move faster if you peddle. Rides that involve pulleys that the occupant pulls for elevations. Rides such as the Junior Driving School where kids can get their Legoland Driving License. Expect queue lines for rides that surround a Lego brick play area for kids to keep them occupied while Mom and Dad weave around them.
Expect a dedicated management team laser-focused on their target audience … those two- to twelve-year-old guests that will allow us to particpate with them. You’ll find friendly, engaged employees and a spotless park as well.
Expect a good corporate citizen that works closely with the community and gives back. Legoland is particularly supportive of education.
Expect to say (as we did) “Wow, how perfect that they chose Winter Haven for their Florida Park!”
The City of Winter Haven and the Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce wish to thank The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, City of Carlsbad and Legoland California for their extraordinary hospitality. Special thanks to Peter Ronchetti, General Manager and Brian Shaw, Director of Finance for their personal tour of the Legoland California facility.
Other than reporting that Cypress Gardens is in Winter Park (!?) the March/April Issue of Tampa’s Maddux Report contains a Polk County Corporate Report that touts projects far and wide. In the Winter Haven area, mention was made of the CSX Intermodal Rail Terminal, LEGOLAND Florida, The East Polk Committee of 100, Winter Haven’s high tech downtown “Inland Fiber and Data Park” as well as the USF Polytechnic Business Accelerator located in 610 Plaza. The article goes on to note Winter Haven Hospital’s $40 million expansion and Polk State College’s inaugural bachelor’s degree program with 169 students enrolled. With other great projects noted throughout Polk you can’t help but feel there’s a lot going on … just not in Winter Park! Don’t let the cover fool you … “The End?” pertains to the future of Florida’s film industry.
John Jakobsen Managing Director
LEGOLAND Parks – Merlin Entertainments
As Managing Director of Merlin Entertainments’ LEGOLAND Operating Group John is not only responsible for the continued development of the company’s four existing Parks – in Denmark, Germany, UK and California, USA; but also for the identification and planning for new LEGOLAND Parks around the globe, primarily in partnership with local developers and leisure partners. This includes one scheduled to open in Winter Haven in 2011, Malaysia in 2012; and a second in Dubai – although this one is currently on hold which the Middle East recovers from the backlash of the current global economic downturn. Other possible locations, in the US and Far East, are also under discussion.
The video below features highlights from Legoland California.
After an international career spent working with the Danish toy company and its theme park subsidiary, John believes he has found his “dream job”. He was General Manager in California when in 2005 Merlin acquired the four LEGOLAND Parks. He admits this move was a huge shock at the time given the very family nature of the business, and its necessarily close links with the toy company from which it has sprung.
However any concerns were short lived. In Merlin, while a much tougher commercial culture, he has found a company which not only truly understands how to develop and market theme parks, but is also totally committed to building on the unique LEGO franchise. More than that, like LEGO, Merlin’s objective is to provide ‘fun learning’ for generations of children through all its brands.
Over the next 5-10 years he also believes the original LEGO dream of having at least 10 LEGOLAND Parks around the world, may well become a reality under Merlin’s stewardship; and he is proud to have been there from the very beginning……
46 year old John was just 5 when the first LEGOLAND Park opened in Billund near his family farm in Denmark. Some of his strongest memories growing up were of his visits with his family, and every year from the age of 16 he tried to get one of the coveted holiday jobs there – but to no avail. It was not until he completed a Business Degree that his ambitions came true when in…. he secured one of only 2 coveted annual internships at the Park’s famous parent toy company – LEGO. Even then it was not until 1990 that as the most junior member of a team of 5, he was asked to take on the challenge of expanding the LEGOLAND franchise outside of Denmark.
In charge of site development and planning, he first worked on projects in the UK (Windsor opened in 1996); and California where he arrived in his words ‘a somewhat naive 30 year old’ in 1994 to deal with a hostile population bitterly opposed to the project. He won them over with a nail biting 57% local yes vote after spearheading a massive charm offensive! With the US project on track John returned to LEGO in Denmark to develop another new area for the Group – ‘corporate alliances’, the first of which was a link between LEGO and the Star Wars IP, a partnership which still represents one of the company’s most popular toy lines.
In 2002 John took on his first Park management role in Germany where he maintains he really learned the ropes relating to Park construction and commercial development. A year later he moved back to California as General Manager, and he and his team built the Park into the US Best Family Theme Park – an accolade it has won every year for the last 6 years.
His Operating Group role meant another move – this time to Dorset, in the UK, close to Merlin’s Head Office. A ‘country boy’ at heart, he and his family have settled very well into the english countryside and are making the most of the Dorset location. An award winning marathon runner, when not traveling, John and his wife regularly run near their home in the New Forest – in his view the perfect way to relax.
John has 3 children – a 19 year old at University in Denmark and two other teenagers 17 & 14.
It’s official. Representatives from Merlin Entertainments confirmed this morning that their company will construct their second U.S. Legoland Park on the historic Cypress Gardens property. (The park will be the largest Legoland so far.)
In a page torn directly from the promotions book of Dick Pope, founder of Cypress Gardens, Merlin Entertainments officials presented a news conference that involved a Florida panther, large orange and Polk County logo constructed completely of Lego blocks. If that wasn’t enough, the grand finale featured 100,000 Lego blocks cascading from a front end loader to the screams of delight from young guests from the Florida Baptist Children’s Home.
Facts at a glance:
Projected re-opening: Late 2011
Employment: Estimated 1000 jobs
Highlights: Rides, displays, interactive lego building for the whole family. And Merlin CEO Nick Varney (left) assured everyone present the the Cypress Gardens botanical gardens are in very safe hands with his company. They are part of what makes this location so special.”
Varney told of his first visit to Cypress Gardens in October of 2008 when he “absolutely fell in love with the park.”
The park will see 40 million lego blocks used in its construction.
Varney declined to specify the exact amount of the company’s initial investment rumored to exceed $150 million.
On hand for the festivities, Florida Governor Charlie Crist accepts a Lego replica of a Florida Panther from Merlin CEO Nick Varney
State Senator J. D. Alexander, Nick Varney and Winter Haven Mayor Jeff Potter
More than 400 billion Lego blocks have been manufactured in the company’s history. Varney described Florida as the world’s number 1 tourism destination and noted his park will fare well as it is positioned 180 degrees apart from a traditional theme park. He noted, “Most parks put you on something (like a ride) and do something to you. We set ourselves apart by inviting the guest to join in interactive activities such as race car building where parents compete against their children.” He admits the 23 month build out is ambitious but he feels very manageable. Mr. Varney also noted that of all the locations worldwide that his company has worked with government officials, their Florida and Polk County experience has been among the best. He also thanked the local businesses who have posted “Welcome Legoland Florida” on their reader boards.
Welcome to Winter Haven Mr. Varney and Merlin Entertainments. Mr. Pope wouldn’t have it any other way.
Post Update 1-22-10: In interviews after the news conference Nick Varney confirmed plans to reinstate the famed Cypress Gardens ski show “with a Lego twist.” He also noted that long range plans call for the property to become a Legoland Resort and including at least one hotel.
Note to Contractors: If your company is interested in being considered during the construction of Legoland Florida, the contact name is Ian Sarjeant, senior project manager. He can be reached at ian.sarjeant@legoland.com or 760-931-9159. He is compiling a list of prospective contractors, working on how the company is going to handle bids, etc. in preparation for work to begin.
In what may be the biggest announcement of the new century for Winter Haven and Polk County tourism, Merlin Entertainments will announce tomorrow, January 21, they will open their second U.S. Legoland Park here in Winter Haven on the Cypress Gardens property. Merlin operates Legoland California which has been named the #1 Children’s Park in that state for the past six years.
The confirmation is being attributed by area media to an email sent to Polk County Commissioners. The memo mentions several key points:
1. LEGOLAND Florida will be the fifth LEGOLAND attraction worldwide (California, Denmark , England , and Germany ).
2. Merlin is the second largest attraction company in the world, second only to Disney.
3. Merlin’s massive research in the area already indicated that the LEGOLAND brand already has high recognition and a 90% intention to visit by families in their target market.
4. LEGOLAND, CA, is the fastest growing theme park in the U.S., realizing an astounding 6% growth in 2009. The park was also recognized by Amusement Today as the country’s best theme park for children for the sixth consecutive year.
While there will be significant employment at the park during its reconstruction and transformation, the long term vision will see significant employment on an annual basis. This will return Polk and Winter Haven to solid tourism destination status complementing our other tourism venues such as Bok Tower Gardens and Fantasy of Flight.
We enthusiastically welcome Merlin Entertainments and salute the hard work of everyone involved locally in helping to make all the pieces fall into place (pun very much intended)!
We will present further information following tomorrow’s news conference.
Merlin Entertainments is a young and dynamic organization, it currently operates 50-plus attractions and four hotels anually, which welcomes more than 30 million visitors in 12 differrent countries across three continents – Europe, North America and Asia – and employ more than 13,000 staff.
From its headquarters in Poole, Dorset, the Merlin Entertainments Group today operates an international network of attractions, among them many of the world’s best known brand names…Madame Tussauds, The Dungeons, Alton Towers, LEGOLAND, SEA LIFE, Gardaland, the London Eye and others.
The Screamscape Blog actually uncovered land transfer documents that led to the discovery of Merlin Entertainments’ purchase of Cypress Gardens. We have added information collected from Google Alerts.
For the Sixth Year, LEGOLAND® California is Awarded “Best Children’s Park”
For the sixth year in a row, park enthusiasts from around the world have voted LEGOLAND® California as the “Best Children’s Park.” Amusement Today, a monthly trade newspaper, awarded the 128-acre family theme park the esteemed Golden Ticket Award on Sept. 10, 2009.
LEGOLAND California hosted the ceremony for the first time, bringing representatives from all over the country to Carlsbad.
“To be ranked as the best of the best in the amusement industry is a great accomplishment and to be named Best Children’s Park six years in a row really states we’re appealing to families with children ages 2 to 12,” said Peter Ronchetti, General Manager of LEGOLAND California Resort . “LEGOLAND California is celebrating its tenth birthday this year and we’ve doubled the amount of rides since we opened in 1999. We’re excited to continually build upon what makes us the best children’s park.“
Introduced in 1998, the Golden Ticket Awards have steadily increased in popularity to become the most sought after award by amusement industry players. The recipients of these awards are chosen from an international poll conducted by industry experts at Amusement Today. Surveys were sent to a cross-section of educated and well-traveled amusement park aficionados.
In honor of its 10th birthday, LEGOLAND California added ten new attractions this year including the adventure slide Dune Raiders, “Bob the Builder™ In 4-D: Bob the Builder and the Roller Coaster” and Xbox Family GameSpace featuring 13 game stations where guests can experience LEGO STAR WARS™ :The Complete Saga and other family-friendly games year-round.
North America’s only SEA LIFE™ Aquarium opened one year ago in August as a separate admission adjacent to LEGOLAND California. Geared specifically to educate children on creatures under the sea, the two-story 36,000 square foot aquarium features 36 displays, more than 200 species and holds more than 250,000 gallons of water.
Merlin Entertainments will reveal its future development plans for the Cypress Gardens property at a news conference this Thursday, January 21. Speculation about those plans has included a Legoland Florida park.
The sale of Cypress Gardens to Merlin Entertainments has received wide spread review in the theme park industry publications and Florida media. The company will release details of their plans for the park at media conference later this week. First reported in the News Chief and later this blog, speculation abounds that Merlin may have plans for a Legoland Park similar to their California property.
(Editors note: Several news reports have said Merlin purchased the botanical gardens — not true. The citizens of Polk County own the original 30 acres which include the botanical gardens. As with past operators, Merlin will lease the gardens in exchange for its maintenance.)
Orlando Theme Park News is reporting that Screamscape (a theme park industry blog) suspects Cypress Gardens may have been sold:
“(1/15/10) The big shocking news of the day is that Merlin Entertainment may actually have purchased Cypress Gardens. Check out the Polk County website and do a search for “land south adventures” and you’ll find three documents at the bottom dated 1/12/2010. The first two detailing how property ownership is being transferred from Land South Adventures to “Merlin Entertainments Group Florida” while the third involves the matter of unpaid tax Land South owed, but has now suddenly been paid and the lein from the Florida Department of Revenue has been released.”
You can visit the Screamscape report here. The blog was the first to report some months ago that the Gardens was one of three locations being considered as a potential location for a Legoland Florida.
We have no local confirmation at this point but will report further information as it develops. Merlin Entertainments is the second largest provider of entertainment in the world following Disney. Should these reports prove true, this could be a very positive development for Polk tourism and especially Winter Haven. Stay tuned.
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The Winter Haven community and other interested citizens will get their first look at plans for LEGOLAND® Florida on Thursday, July 8 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Orange Dome on Cypress Gardens Boulevard. John Ussher, General Manager for LEGOLAND® Development notes, “This is just a friendly get together to tell people a little bit about the park. There will be a building event and some other activities.”
The Official Website of the Greater Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce
