The LEGO Group completes acquisition of LEGO® Discovery Centres and LEGOLAND® Discovery Centres from Merlin Entertainments

• The acquisition includes 29 Centres in nine countries which attract around five million visitors each year.
  
  
• 1,500 colleagues join the LEGO Group from Merlin Entertainments.
  
  

The LEGO Group today announced it has completed the previously announced acquisition of LEGO® Discovery Centres and LEGOLAND® Discovery Centres from Merlin Entertainments, for a cash consideration of £0.2bn. The acquisition includes 29 Centres in nine countries which attract around five million visitors each year.

The Centres will be an important addition to the LEGO Group’s global network of retail stores and ambition to offer even more fans memorable hands-on LEGO brand and shopping experiences.

LEGO Group CEO, Niels B Christiansen said: “We are excited to welcome the Discovery Centres to the LEGO Group. They will play an important role in helping us to connect with even more fans around the world. We are looking forward to more than 1,500 talented colleagues joining the team and continuing to delight millions of guests each year. We would like to thank Merlin Entertainments for their work over the past 20 years to build fun, playful brand experiences around the world.”

Merlin Entertainments CEO, Fiona Eastwood said: “We are immensely proud of the Centres and the role they have played in inspiring children and families through play for nearly two decades. As they join the LEGO Group, Merlin will strengthen its focus on bringing the LEGO brand to life on an epic scale through LEGOLAND Resorts. We look forward to building on our long-standing partnership with the LEGO Group to bring more families together through play.”

The transaction supports Merlin’s strategy to focus on transforming its global network of LEGOLAND Resorts into world-class destinations. Merlin continues to operate eleven resorts under long-term licence from the LEGO Group, including the recently opened LEGOLAND Shanghai. The two companies will continue to work closely together to bring playful, high-quality LEGO themed experiences to families around the world.

Facts about LEGO Discovery Centres and LEGOLAND Discovery Centres

• 29 Centres in 9 countries, including 5 LEGO Discovery Centres and 24 LEGOLAND Discovery Centres.
  
  
• 15 in North America: The U.S. and Canada
• 7 in Europe: United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany
• 7 in Asia Pacific: China, Japan and Australia.
  
  
• The first LEGOLAND Discovery Centre opened in Berlin in 2007.
  
  

For more information, please visit: www.LEGOLANDDiscoveryCentre.com

About the LEGO Group
The LEGO Group’s mission is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow through the power of play. The LEGO System in Play, with its foundation in LEGO bricks, allows children and fans to build and rebuild anything they can imagine.

The LEGO Group was founded in Billund, Denmark in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen, its name derived from the two Danish words Leg Godt, which mean “Play Well”.

Today, the LEGO Group remains a family-owned company headquartered in Billund. Its products are now sold in more than 120 countries worldwide.

For more information: www.LEGO.com

About Merlin Entertainments
Merlin Entertainments is a world leader in branded entertainment destinations, offering a diverse portfolio of resort theme parks, city-centre gateway attractions and LEGOLAND Resorts which span across the UK, US, Western Europe, China and Asia Pacific. Dedicated to creating experiences that inspire joy and connection, Merlin welcomes more than 62 million guests annually to its diverse global estate in over 20 countries. An expert in bringing world-famous entertainment brands to life, Merlin works with partners including the LEGO Group, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Peppa Pig, DreamWorks and Ferrari to create destinations where guests can immerse themselves in a wide array of brand-driven worlds, rides and uplifting learning experiences.

See www.merlinentertainments.biz for more information.