Legoland Florida could include aquarium attraction (Posted on 24 Feb 2010 by Steve K)

Florida (Lake Wales News) -- Would an aquarium made of Lego blocks hold water? Mark Jackson thinks it could be so.

A Sea Life aquarium could eventually be part of the final package as Legoland comes to Central Florida according to Jackson, director of tourism and sports marketing for the Central Florida Visitors and Convention Bureau.

The second phase of Legoland construction “possibly, if you look at the California model, (could include) a Sea Life aquarium (and) definitely a resort destination hotel,” he said Friday at a meeting of the Haines City Chamber of Commerce. Merlin Entertainment, the company which will build Polk’s Legoland’s park, also owns Sea Life aquarium centers, more than 30 around the world including one in California at the Legoland park there. Company officials told Jackson a Polk Sea Life aquarium is a possibility.

There are two Sea Life attractions currently in the United States, one adjacent to the California Legoland attraction and a second stand-alone attraction in Arizona. The California location opened in August of 2008, and was the first one to be built in this country.

Construction of the water attraction was completed in about 10 months. Legoland charges a separate admission for the attraction, but according to its Web site, a one-day pass that allows adults to visit both Legoland and Sea Life costs $77. An individual adult ticket to Sea Life costs $19.

The Sea Life attraction contains 72 Lego models and features more than 200 species. The company describes it as “an interactive, immersive and inspirational child’s guide to the life of the sea.”

A 35-foot-long acrylic ocean tunnel allows guests to walk through and experience Lost City of Atlantis without ever getting wet. Guests can also explore the 36,000 square-foot, two-story Aquarium, and discover 36 displays holding more than 250,000 gallons of water.

Key features throughout 14 themed rooms include the Discovery Zone, where guests interact with marine life experts, touch tide pool animals and take an inside look at the lives of sea creatures from special pop-up viewing stations; the Shoaling Ring, where guests are surrounded 360 degrees by schools of swimming fish; and the Ray Lagoon where several species of rays appear to “fly” through the water in Mayan temple ruins.

Key creatures include sharks, rays, jellyfish, seahorses, an octopus and several species of freshwater fish which can be found in California lakes and streams as well as cold water marine animals native to the California coastline, the company noted.

Dollar signs – lots of them – are bright spots in the area’s future thanks to Legoland, according to Jackson. They recently announced plans to locate a Legoland at the site of the former Cypress Gardens Adventure Park to be opened by late 2011.

The other Legoland in the U.S. – in Carlsbad, Calif., is the only theme park in the country to see an increase in visitors – and revenue – last year, he indicated. That park’s 6-percent increase can be compared to Orlando-area tourism which was down “almost 20 percent last year,” Jackson told those attending February’s Haines City Northeast Polk County Chamber of Commerce luncheon Thursday.

And these visitors are, according to Jackson, “towing a trailer full of money behind them ... and they’re just dumping it in Polk County.”

Tourism is an export, Jackson said, “wherein somebody from another country or region purchases a product or service, they drop off their Pesos, Euros, Loonies, ... whatever it may be, they’re dropping it off here. They’re taking away with them a great feeling, a photograph, a great experience. That’s what we want them to have here in Polk. They’re leaving here with something – a product or service.”

Jackson said he and his agency worked for months to put together the deal that in January resulted in Merlin’s purchase of the former Cypress Gardens property in southeast Winter Haven from Bryan Philpot and Rob Harper’s Land South Holdings.

Merlin, formed in 1999, has grown to have 59 attractions in 13 countries on three continents and is second in size only to Disney. Merlin’s goal, Jackson said, is to become the worldwide leader in branded, location-based entertainment.

Existing Legolands are in Billund, Denmark; Gunzburg, Germany; Windsor, England; and California.

As a result of the partnership, Polk will, among other things, have a kiosk at the Legoland entrance. “We will touch 2 million people annually as they come through the park,” Jackson said. “We’ll get them to stay longer ... stay two or three days, not one day.”

Lake Wales and Ridge communities in general will benefit, Jackson adds.

“These visitors naturally will be attracted to Lake Wales,” he said. “Between Lake Wales itself, with all its natural charm – everything from fish camps to a thriving art culture – and Bok Tower Gardens, that area is a magnet for visitors. It will turn Lake Wales into (more of) a destination.”

Other businesses “won’t be able to keep up with the demand,” Jackson said. Vacation rentals and hotel and motel rooms will increase, especially up and down U.S. Highway 27.

“The highway – 27 – is the vessel that will bring these visitors in,” he said. “Businesses up and down the highway will see significant changes.”

Jackson said the area can expect a capital investment of “a lot more than $100 million” in phase 1, and 1,000 new jobs. Initially construction jobs and all the related things; 1.5 - 2 million visitors annually; $459 million economic impact for Polk County.

“That’ll be one of our largest industries – ever.”

The county annually will receive $1.4 million in sales tax – about 18.6 percent of the 7 percent state tax comes back to the county. That’s from just spending in the park

There’ll be also $1.2 million in property tax, Jackson said, as well as Tourist Development Tax revenue: “If we generate 50,000 room-nights, we’ll generate $175,000 in additional tourism spending. If 200,000 room-nights, $700,000 annually.”

Jackson says the county’s half-million-dollar annual contribution is a “pretty good investment.”

But that’s not all, Jackson said. “The most valuable thing: We have access to their data. Four million people are cult-like followers of Lego toys. We have visibility at 59 theme parks world-wide. We have access to their other marketing channels as well.

“We’ll be sharing billboards, print and electronic media, and other advertising and splitting the costs. We’re raising our revenue and we’re reducing our cost,” he added. ““You can’t pay for that kind of visibility to be associated with the second largest attractions company in the world.”