Extremis
Sealife Ocean Tank
The Dungeons
Nemesis
Heide Park Colossus

Facts

Merlin Entertainments Group is the leading name in location based, quality family entertainment.  Now the world’s number two visitor attraction operator, it aims to deliver unique, memorable and rewarding experiences to its 32.5 million visitors worldwide, through its iconic global and local brands, and the commitment and passion of its managers and employees.  By the end of 2008 Merlin will have 58 attractions and 6 hotels, in 12 countries, across three continents – Europe, North America and Asia – and will employ over 13,000 staff.

The Facts - 2008:

  • World number two - second only to Disney
  • Number one visitor attraction business in Europe
  • 32.5 million visitors in 2007
  • 58 indoor/outdoor attractions in 12 different countries (including USA) - midway, day trip and destination attraction concepts:
    • 26 SEA LIFE attractions + 3 Marine Sanctuaries:
      • UK - Blackpool, Brighton, Scarborough, Weymouth, Birmingham, Great Yarmouth, Loch Lomond, Chessington.
        Marine Sanctuaries: Gweek, Cornwall; Oban, West Highlands; Hunstanton, Norfolk; Hunstanton, Norfolk;
      • Germany - Timmendorfer Strand, Berlin, Oberhausen, Dresden, Speyer, Konstanz, Königswinter, Hanover, Munich; Cuxhaven
      • Finland - Helsinki;
      • France - Disneyland Paris;
      • Spain - Benalmadena;
      • Netherlands - Scheveningen;
      • Ireland - Bray (Dublin);
      • Belgium - Blankenberge;
      • Italy - Gardaland;
      • USA - LEGOLAND, California (August 2008);
      • Denmark - LEGOLAND Atlantis by SEA LIFE Billund
    • 4 LEGOLAND theme parks - Billund, Denmark; Windsor, UK; Gunzburg, Germany; California, USA; 2011 - Dubai
    • 8 Madame Tussauds - London, New York, Las Vegas, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Washington DC, Berlin, 2009 - Hollywood.
    • London Eye, UK - iconic London visitor attraction and landmark
    • The London Aquarium
    • 5 Dungeons - London, York, Edinburgh, Hamburg, Amsterdam
    • Gardaland theme park, Italy's number one theme park
    • 3 UK theme parks
      • Alton Towers Resort - UK's number one theme park
      • THORPE PARK - UK's number two theme park
      • Chessington World of Adventures & Zoo, a theme park and zoo for families with children up to 12
    • Heide Park, Germany
    • Warwick Castle, UK
    • Earth Explorer, Ostend
    • The Pepsi Globe to open at Meadowlands Xanadu, New Jersey USA August 2009
    • 2 LEGOLAND Discovery Centres - Berlin; Duisberg, Germany
      • 3 LEGOLAND Discovery Centres Berlin, Duisberg Germany, Chicago
      • 2009: Meadowlands Xanadu, New Jersey, USA
  • 6 hotels - LEGOLAND Billund; Alton Towers Resort, UK (two); Chessington World of Adventures & Zoo, UK (opens June 2007); Gardaland, Italy; Heide Park, Germany
  • Holiday Village LEGOLAND, Germany

Exciting potential - for growth and continued success

Merlin Entertainments Group intends to continue its aggressive growth plans for all the brands. This includes:

  • maximising potential of existing attraction sites with new rides/features
  • rolling out new sites for Madame Tussauds, LEGOLAND Discovery Centre, SEA LIFE and Dungeons into suitable locations across Europe, USA and beyond
  • developing existing sites into true destination resorts - with the inclusion of hotels and other attractions
  • stretching the brands into new areas and attractions concepts - such as the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre

Merlin attractions...

  • have a broad customer base - with attractions aimed at families, teens and young adults
  • consistently achieve 90% or above on guest satisfaction and recommendation
  • operate strong ethical/environmental policies - in management of animals and sea creatures

Merlin has a portfolio of market-leading, resort-led theme parks, including UK No 1 and 2 - Alton Towers Resort and THORPE PARK; Italy's No 1 - Gardaland; and the four LEGOLAND parks in the USA and Europe - and Merlin's first Middle Eastern attraction to open in 2011 - LEGOLAND Dubailand

Emphasis on fun learning' in key attractions, for example - LEGOLAND, SEA LIFE, Dungeons, Warwick Castle, Madame Tussauds, LEGOLAND Discovery Centre

Effective development budgets and personnel delivering quality attractions at costs well below most competitors

Merlin People - up to 13,000 in peak season

  • Strong senior management team - with proven experience in the sector, and day to day influence in the business - led by CEO Nick Varney, supported by CFO Andrew Carr, Group HR Lesley Lloyd-Steer
  • Operational management of the attractions is split into three divisions Midway Attractions, including MT, SEA LIFE, The London Eye, LEGOLAND Discovery Centres, and the Dungeons, MD Glenn Earlam; LEGOLAND (4 x sites), MD John Jakobsen; and Resort Theme parks Gardaland, Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, Heide Park, Chessington World of Adventures, including all resort hotels, MD Mark Fisher
  • Property & Development Group covering new site search, project delivery, hotel development, property management, and creative services, MD Nick Mackenzie