LIFESTYLE

Step aside Disneyland. Shanghai is about to get another exciting theme park, the Legoland.

Although COVID-19 has pretty much ravaged the theme park and tourism industry for 2020 and likely the many years to come, Merlin Entertainments has decided that construction on Legoland Shanghai Resort will start in 2021, with the theme park’s opening currently scheduled for 2024.

This decision was announced after the signing of a framework agreement in November 2019. Under the terms of the agreement, all parties will form a joint venture company which will contribute funding to the construction and development of Legoland Shanghai, located in the Jinshan District of Shanghai, China. When completed, Legoland Shanghai, which includes a 250-room themed hotel, will be one of the largest Legoland resorts in the world, with the entire project estimated to be valued at around $550 million.

Although Merlin Entertainment has already opened five new Midway attractions since 2018, including the world’s first Peppa Pig World of Play (Shanghai) and Little BIG City (Beijing), Legoland Shanghai is the group’s most significant investment to date.

Nick Varney, chief executive of Merlin, said, “The Shanghai Legoland Resort will be a must-visit destination for playful learning experiences for the millions of people who live in the vicinity and beyond. The Merlin team looks forward to working with our partners to develop the creative concept design for the resort and making it a reality, marking a significant milestone for Merlin’s presence in the Chinese market.”

The resort is also expected to contribute heftily to the economic development of Jinshan District and boost Shanghai’s tourism sector.