Merlin Entertainments reportedly plans to break ground on the new Legoland park in the Fangshan district of Beijing this year.
When revealing its annual economic plan for 2023, Beijing said it “seeks to initiate the construction of Legoland”, reports South China Morning Post.
Merlin is already developing three Legoland attractions in China – Legoland Shanghai Resort, Legoland Sichuan Resort, and the world’s largest Legoland resort in Shenzhen.
The company has not officially announced the Beijing attraction. However, it is said to be a 304,000-square-metre resort with a theme park and hotel.
Legoland resorts in China
Legoland Shenzhen, a 580,000-square-metre resort, is expected to cost more than $1 billion. It is due to open in 2024.
Legoland Shanghai is also set to be one of the largest Legoland resorts in the world when it opens in 2024. Legoland Sichuan is due to launch in 2023.
Discussing the Sichuan project with blooloop, John Jakobsen, chief operating officer for Legoland Resorts Group, said: “This will be a very large development.
“And, actually, that is the case for all three projects we now have under contract in China. They are going to be big, compared to what we would normally develop.”
In 2021, Universal Beijing opened to visitors after 20 years of planning and construction. Shanghai Disneyland opened to the public in June 2016.
Legoland Korea Resort made its debut in May 2022. It is home to a Legoland park with 40 rides and attractions, as well as a hotel.
Meanwhile, all three Legoland Resorts in the US will officially be Certified Autism Centers. Last year, Legoland Florida became the first theme park resort to earn a Certified Autism Center (CAC) designation.
Legoland California is already a Certified Autism Center, and Legoland New York will be one when it reopens for the 2023 season on 31 March.
“One of our core values is around belonging,” Scott O’Neil, CEO of Merlin, told USA Today.
Images: Merlin Entertainments
