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'Merlin Entertainments' is the biggest attractions operator in Europe and currently the second largest operating globally after Disney.
Head quartered in Poole, Dorset Merlin Entertainments operates over 50 attractions in ten European countries, the United States of America, China and Hong Kong. Its success to date has been underpinned by strong partnership arrangements with both public and private sectors, with organisations as diverse as Disney and the Worldwide Fund for Nature. Incorporated in 2004^[1]Merlin Entertainments is majority owned by private equity company Blackstone Group.
In March 2007, Merlin Entertainments agreed to buy The Tussauds Group for £1Bn. Merlin Entertainments and Tussauds together attracted 30 million visitors during 2006 and employ more than 13,000 staff. After the acquisition, Dubai International Capital will hold 20% of Merlin Entertainment.^[2]
As of May 22, 2007^[3] the merger with Tussauds has been completed. The Tussauds Group as a separate entity has ceased to exist, with control of its attractions, including Madame Tussauds, the British Airways London Eye, Alton Towers and Thorpe Park passing to Merlin.
On 17 July 2007, Merlin sold the freeholds of Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, Warwick Castle and Madame Tussauds to private investor Nick Leslau and his investment firm Prestbury^[4]. As of 18 July 2007, the attractions are now owned by Leslau but continue to be operated by Merlin, leasing each back on a renewable 35-year lease. Interestingly, Chessington World of Adventures (the fifth Tussaud's attraction) was not included in the deal.
Negotiations have recently reopened into the repurchase of Spain's PortAventura resort, which was built by Tussauds in 1994-5 and operated until 1998, when it was sold to Universal Studios. It has since been resold to Spanish banking group La Caixa, who it is believed are keen to enter consultation with Merlin for the resort. It has recently become part of the Merlin Annual Pass.

Contents

Brands

Resort Theme Parks

Midway City Attractions

LEGOLAND Parks

Hotels

Contact details

References

External links

Brands

Resort Theme Parks

★ 'Gardaland' - the biggest theme park in Italy, with 40 rides, 10 major shows, a 247-room hotel spread over more than 60 acres

★ 'Alton Towers' - the UK's largest theme park, with over 50 rides, 2 hotels, a water park, conference centre and spa

★ 'Chessington World of Adventures' - family-orientated theme park located near London, over 50 rides, 6 major shows, a zoo and a brand new Holiday Inn Safari Lodge Hotel

★ 'Thorpe Park' - The UK's second-largest theme park, with over 40 rides and attractions.

★ 'Heide Park' - Germany's second-largest theme park, with over 50 rides and attractions, 9 major shows, dolphin displays and a brand new hotel

Midway City Attractions

★ 'Madame Tussauds' waxwork exhibitions - operating in London, New York, Las Vegas, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and opening in Autumn 2007 in Washington DC and in 2008 in Hollywood

★ 'Sea Life Centres' - 25 centres across the UK and Europe, including Disneyland Paris, mobile aquariums in Dresden and Nurnberg, the National Sea Life Centre in Birmingham, Loch Lomond Aquarium, newly opened in Hanover and a brand new centre at Legoland in Billund, Denmark.

★ 'The Dungeons' - the London Dungeon and its sister attractions in Edinburgh, York, Hamburg and Amsterdam

★ 'Seal Sanctuaries' - operate from three centres: the National Seal Sanctuary, Cornwall; the Hunstanton Sea Life Sanctuary; the Scottish Seal Sanctuary at Oban

★ 'Earth Explorer' - a science based attraction, focusing on the way the elements shape our planet, based at Ostend, Belgium

★ 'Warwick Castle' - the UK's most popular historical castle attraction located in the heart of Warwickshire

★ 'The British Airways London Eye' - the world's largest observation wheel and London's biggest visitor attraction

LEGOLAND Parks

★ 'Legoland' - purchased in 2005 from the Lego Group group in Denmark, Lego continues to own 30% in the ongoing business. There are presently four Legoland theme parks: Legoland Billund in Denmark; Legoland Windsor in Windsor, England; Legoland California in Carlsbad, California, USA; and Legoland Deutschland in Günzburg, Germany

★ 'Legoland Discovery Centre' - A new concept for 2007, the Legoland Discovery Centre in Berlin, Germany is a small, indoor version of Legoland, containing amongst other attractions a 'Dragon Coaster' and 3D cinema.

Hotels

Merlin owns and operates four hotels across Europe:

★ 'Alton Towers Hotel', Staffordshire, England

★ 'Splash Landings Hotel', Staffordshire, England

★ 'Hotel Legoland', Billund, Denmark

★ 'Port Royal Hotel', Soltau, Germany
In addition, the group owns and operates the 'Alton Towers Conference Centre' and 'Spa' at the Alton Towers Resort, and owns the freehold of the 'Holiday Inn Chessington', which, for operational purposes, is operated by Holiday Inn.

Contact details

★ 'Telephone:' +44 (0)1202 666900

★ 'Facsimile:' +44 (0)1202 661303

★ 'eMail:' info@merlinentertainments.biz

★ 'Registered office:' Merlin Entertainments Group Ltd, 3 Market Close, Poole, BH15 1NQ

★ 'UK Registered Company No.:' 5022287

References

1. http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/c3f662b9e595ee7da930bf177a896ac0/compdetails
2. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6419019.stm
3. http://www.merlinentertainments.biz/en/press/new_force.aspx
4. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6902797.stm

External links

★ Merlin Entertainments - company website

★ The Dungeons

★ Earth Explorer

★ Gardaland in Italian

★ Legoland

★ Sea Life Centres

★ Seal Sanctuary

★ Madame Tussauds

★ The British Airways London Eye

★ Alton Towers

★ Heide Park (in German and English)

★ Thorpe Park

★ Chessington World of Adventures

★ Warwick Castle

★ Holiday Inn, Chessington