LEGOLAND Discovery Centre to Open First U.S. Site in Schaumburg

New Indoor Family Destination Slated for Streets of Woodfield
CHICAGO--(Business Wire)--
LEGOLAND Discovery Centre, a giant indoor LEGO world designed for
families with children aged 2 to 12, will open its first location
outside of Germany in Schaumburg's Streets of Woodfield shopping
center in August. The attraction will feature activities ranging from
hands-on LEGO play to life-sized LEGO adventures designed to provide
several hours of family entertainment centered around the iconic
interlocking colored bricks.

The 30,000-square-foot leisure destination will combine LEGO model
building and unusual construction challenges with theme park-like
attractions such as a dragon ride, adventure trail, and 4D cinema
incorporating fantastical LEGO creatures and LEGO-based special
effects. Other highlights will include a DUPLO play area for younger
children, birthday party rooms, a LEGO cafe, a LEGO store, and a
special room with rotating exhibitions of work by master LEGO
builders.

LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Chicago/Schaumburg will be modeled after
a prototype that debuted in Berlin last year and that now attracts
more than 500,000 visitors annually. A second German location is
scheduled to open in May with the Schaumburg site following three
months later, beginning a planned expansion throughout Europe and the
U.S.

All locations are run by Merlin Entertainments Group, the world's
second biggest visitor attractions operator after Disney with 51
attractions and four hotels in 12 countries including Madame
Tussaud's. Merlin is partially owned by The LEGO Group.

"LEGOLAND Discovery Centre is a new concept that has been very
successful in Berlin, and we are confident that it will translate well
to the U.S. because of the universal appeal of LEGOs as well as the
truly inspired design of the activities themselves," said Adrian
Jones, General Manager, U.S., for UK-based Merlin Entertainment.
"Chicago will be our showcase U.S. site, and the Woodfield area is
ideal because of the highway access, easy parking, and family
orientation of the area."

SSPR
Molly Antos
847/415-9327
mantos@sspr.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008