LEGOLAND(R) California Reports Another Year of Record-Breaking Business Results

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Plans for New LEGOLAND Park in North America Announced

CARLSBAD, Calif., Jan. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Alongside the announcement of positive results and expansions for LEGOLAND California, ambitions for a fifth LEGOLAND(R) Park were unveiled. North American locations are at the top of the list targeted for review with a goal to find the right location and partners to open a new LEGOLAND Park in the next three to five years.

"LEGOLAND Parks are a perfect fit with Merlin Entertainments Group with the same values of high quality, family focus, and emphasis on active and fun learning," commented Nick Varney, CEO of Merlin Entertainments. "Part of Merlin's intent in purchasing the four parks was to look for expansion opportunities. 2005 was the all-time best year on record for LEGOLAND Parks. We want to continue that success by expanding the popular brand of theme parks to a fifth LEGOLAND Park. Building upon the success of LEGOLAND California and the three Parks in Europe, locations in North America are the focus of Merlin's site selection. Locations in other parts of the world are also considered."

2005 marked a year of transition for LEGOLAND Parks as a new ownership structure under Merlin Entertainments Group took place after the Blackstone Group purchased all four theme parks. After the LEGOLAND acquisition, Merlin Entertainments is now the second largest attractions operator in Europe and ranks ninth worldwide with a total of 12.2 million visitors to their 36 attractions in 2005.

LEGOLAND(R) California announced another year of growth at a news conference held at the Carlsbad theme park Jan. 19, 2006. The Park expects further growth in 2006 with the largest expansion in its history.

LEGOLAND California ended 2005 with an increase of more than two percent over a successful prior year in 2004. Building upon an all-time high revenue result in 2004, the family theme park completed another record year in terms of revenue with an increase of nearly six percent in 2005.

Eight new attractions have been added to LEGOLAND California in the last two years and 2006 will see the biggest expansion in the Park's seven-year history. Summer 2006, LEGOLAND California introduces Pirate Shores, the seventh block of attractions in the Carlsbad family theme park. 2006 capital expansions total more than $10 million dollars with the majority represented in the exciting new area including five all-new water attractions designed around the ever-popular pirate theme. A fun-filled new 4-D movie titled "Spellbreaker" will also make its premiere at LEGOLAND California in 2006.

LEGOLAND(R) California is a 128-acre interactive theme park dedicated to families with children between the ages of two and 12. There are three other LEGOLAND Parks in the world -- LEGOLAND Billund in Denmark, LEGOLAND Windsor outside of London and LEGOLAND Deutschland near Gunzburg, Germany. For the most current information, log on to http://www.LEGOLAND.com or call (760) 918-LEGO.

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