LEGOLAND New York Previews Eight ‘Lands’

GOSHEN—More than 100 people attended a major preview event on Aug. 16 hosted by Merlin Entertainments of the eight themed “lands” that will make up its LEGOLAND New York Resort in Goshen.

Thousands of Lego bricks cascaded down resembling a waterfall revealing a 10-foot LEGO model of the entire theme park. The model is made of more than 135,000 LEGO bricks and took 20 Master Model Builders more than 1,300 hours to design and build, Merlin officials started.

LEGOLAND New York is Merlin Entertainments’ ninth LEGOLAND theme park, and its third in the United States. At an expected initial cost of $350 million, LEGOLAND New York is Merlin’s largest investment in a single park to date. The firm has stated that the overall project, to be developed on 150 acres, will cost at full build-out approximately $500 million. Merlin plans to undertake a significant capital infrastructure investment, in conjunction with the New York State Department of Transportation, to improve access to the resort, including building a new Exit 125 on the adjacent Route 17.

A model of the attractions at the Legoland New York resort property in Goshen.

From left, Ian Sarjeant, senior project director, Merlin Entertainments, plc; Maureen Halahan, president and CEO of the Orange County Partnership and John Ussher, general manager
of Legoland New York.

“LEGOLAND New York is coming and it’s time to get excited,” said LEGOLAND New York’s Public Relations Manager Matt Besterman. “This will be the ultimate must-see destination for families in the Northeast.”

Helping to unveil the model and illustrate the Park’s design were a group of local children, including friends and family members of the park staff and construction team. The children dressed in costumes to represent each land of the park

“For those who may only be familiar with our indoor LEGOLAND Discovery Centers, a LEGOLAND Park is on a different scale altogether,” Besterman said. “This 150-acre theme park is a multi-day experience with more than 50 rides, shows and attractions – all designed for kids ages 2-12 and their families.”

From left, Orange County Director of Tourism Amanda Dana, Meghan Taylor, regional director, Mid-Hudson, Empire State Development Corp.
and John Ussher, general manager of Legoland New York.

Julie Estrada, head of public relations, North America, Merlin Entertainments, plc.

LEGOLAND New York will take visitors on a journey through eight themed lands: Factory, Bricktopia, Miniland, Ninjago World, Heartlake City, Knight’s Kingdom, LEGO City and Pirate Shores.

“LEGOLAND New York has been in the works for years and we’re excited to bring this unique family theme park to Goshen,” said Head of Public Relations North America for Merlin Entertainments Julie Estrada. “Built on a 500-acre site just 60 miles northwest of New York City, LEGOLAND New York Resort is the first major theme park in decades to be built in the Northeast—aiming to be the ultimate family destination for visitors from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and beyond.”

Scheduled to hold its grand opening in spring 2020, the park will be open seasonally from spring to fall.

Thousands of LEGO bricks cascaded down resembling a waterfall revealing the 10-foot LEGO model of the entire theme park.

Helping to unveil the model and illustrate the Park’s design were a group of local children dressed in costumes to represent each land of the park.

The resort will also feature a LEGOLAND Hotel, which will be open year-round. Each of the Hotel’s 250 rooms will be themed to a popular LEGO toy to be announced at a later date.

“The LEGOLAND Hotel is an experience in itself,” Besterman said. “You’ll find a restaurant with a kid-sized buffet table, a Castle play area, and children’s entertainment every night. It’s our way of extending the LEGOLAND experience creating treasured memories for families.”

At the event, ShortLine Coach USA announced it will provide a one-seat ride from Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City to LEGOLAND New York.

The model is made of more than 135,000
LEGO bricks

Construction work continued during the
preview event.

The resort is expected to generate 1,300 jobs by opening day, including 500 year-round full-time employees, 300 part-time employees, and 500 seasonal employees. In addition, the Resort is expected to generate 800 construction jobs in its development.