Two major new attractions planned for Tokyo
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Two major new visitor attractions have been announced for the Japanese capital, Tokyo. Merlin Entertainments, the world’s second biggest attraction operator, yesterday revealed plans to bring the Madame Tussauds and LEGOLAND concepts to Japan. These two new attractions will mark Merlin’s entry into the country.
First to open in October this year will be Madame Tussauds Tokyo, which will be located in one of Tokyo’s main shopping and leisure complexes – Decks Tokyo Beach Mall in Odaiba, Tokyo Bay. Following this in spring 2012, the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre (LDC) will also open in the mall.
Madame Tussauds Tokyo will be the fourth to open in Asia Pacific, joining sister attractions in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Bangkok, as well as another to open early in 2012 in Sydney. The Japanese edition will begin as a temporary exhibition on the third floor of the Decks Tokyo Beach Mall, featuring a collection of wax figures. Merlin plans to make it a permanent feature for the future.
The permanent Tokyo LEGOLAND Discovery Centre will offer an interactive and educational two- to three-hour indoor experience for families with children aged 3-10 years-old. Based on the ever popular LEGO brick, LEGOLAND Discovery Centres provide a unique range play areas including a 4-D cinema, master classes from the LEGO Master Model Builder, LEGO rides, special party rooms for birthdays and other celebrations, as well as the popular MINILAND exhibit designed to reflect the buildings in Tokyo.
Plans and designs are already being drawn up for the 4,000 square metre site on the 6th and 7th floors of Decks Tokyo Beach Mall, and construction is expected to begin in September 2011, with the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre due to open in June 2012. It is expected to cost JPY1.2 billion (US$14.9 million).
The attractions at Decks Mall are part of Merlin’s growth plan, which will see it roll out up to seven new sites around the world every year. Asia Pacific is a major focus for development following its recent acquisition of six attractions in Australia and New Zealand, and the planned opening of a major LEGOLAND theme park in Malaysia in 2012.
Glenn Earlam, Managing Director of Merlin’s Midway Attractions Operating Group, which includes both Madame Tussauds and the LDCs, said; “Japan is a very exciting marketplace and we have been looking for suitable sites in Tokyo, and other parts of the country, for some time, and believe that Decks Mall offers a great opportunity for us.
“We have chosen two of our best attractions to start – unique attractions in a very special and unique City. The first, Madame Tussauds, even though initially it will only be in Tokyo for a few months, is a wonderful global brand, which can be adapted to reflect the people and the marketplaces in which we open, and I hope very much that if this project is a success then it may well become a fixture in Japan in the future.”
Merlin Entertainments added that it is continuing to look for further suitable sites across Japan for its brands – primarily LEGOLAND Discovery Centres and SEA LIFE – Merlin’s leading global aquarium brand.
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