The much-anticipated Legoland Shanghai Resort, China's first Lego-themed resort, officially opened its doors on July 5 in Fengjing town, Jinshan district.

Spanning 318,000 square meters, the resort features eight immersive themed zones, over 75 interactive rides and attractions, and thousands of Lego models built from more than 85 million Lego bricks.

Costing a whopping $550 million, the Legoland Shanghai Resort is the result of collaboration between Shanghai Jinshan Urban Investment Group, UK-based Merlin Entertainments Group, Denmark's KIRKBI Invest A/S under KIRKBI Group, the parent company of Lego Group, and Chinese media and entertainment conglomerate CMC Inc. With its opening, there are now 10 Lego resorts in operation worldwide.

Fiona Eastwood, chief executive officer of Merlin Entertainments Group, attended the opening ceremony on July 5. While emphasizing the importance of the Chinese market, Eastwood noted that China is the world's second-largest theme park market, holding tremendous value for the industry.

Financial reports reveal that Merlin Entertainments Group's total revenue last year reached $2.72 billion, with Lego resorts accounting for approximately 42 percent of this figure. The Legoland Shanghai Resort, as the largest of its kind globally, now plays a critical role in the company's portfolio.

Eastwood also pointed out the vast potential of the resort's surrounding area, which boasts a population of 55 million.

A representative of the resort's operating company stated that the project brings advanced international theme park management and rich cultural experiences to Shanghai, injecting new vitality into the local tourism market and attracting both domestic and international visitors.

Currently, the resort features a theme park and a themed hotel, with additional land on the west side reserved for future expansion. Long-term development plans are in place for the next five to 10 years. Once operations stabilize, the team plans to introduce seasonal events and explore new product offerings to continually enhance the visitor experience.

Sources: thepaper.cn, legolandshanghai.cn