The local council in Blackpool has organised global visitor attractions operator Merlin Entertainments to manage the operations and redevelopment of the Blackpool Tower complex and Louis Tussauds Waxworks when it actually takes over the businesses in late 2010. In an ambitious move, the Council has concluded the purchase of the Winter Gardens, the Golden Mile Centre, Louis Tussauds and Blackpool Tower buildings. The purchases have been made possible following successful bids for European and Government funding and £10m from the Council's own budget. The Winter Gardens will be operated alongside Blackpool's three landmark Piers by Crown Leisure as part of the deal.
Blackpool is convinced that this is a fantastic deal securing long-term investment in the resort and is the culmination of several weeks of negotiations. The Council is ambitious for Blackpool and Merlin is totally the right selection. Merlin is a global corporation and the principal leisure name in Europe and the UK, and they will be bringing some of the worlds most iconic attractions to Blackpool. Merlin's current UK portfolio includes the Alton Towers Resort, Thorpe Park, Warwick Castle, Madam Tussauds, the Dungeons, the London Eye and Legoland. The company also operates the world's largest aquarium brand – SEA LIFE, including the successful attraction on Blackpool Promenade.
The plans form part of the Council's ambitions to make an exciting, world class leisure resort for the future and Merlin's expertise and brands are viewed as key to accomplishing this. As part of the deal, Merlin will not only bring a thrilling new Dungeon attraction to the Blackpool Tower; but also utilize its knowledge in operating the internationally famous London Eye to expand the existing observation platform at the pinnacle of the Tower into an exciting new 'Eye' branded experience, as well as a 4D cinema preview show. Also, the existing Louis Tussauds wax attraction will be developed into a second UK Madame Tussauds, including all the interactivity and high quality figures associated with this unique brand. As a listed building, the current repair programme for Blackpool Tower itself will continue; and the famed Circus and Ballroom will be retained and are predicted to be in huge demand in the future to host a programme of exciting new events.
These investment plans may possibly attract an additional 800,000 visitors each year producing up to fifty five million pounds extra spend right across the town. Enhancements to the meeting amenities at the Winter Gardens, home to the Opera House, are also intended which endeavour to achieve a mid-tier conferencing facility designed to attract extra business tourism trips and events to the resort pulling in an estimated 250,000 visitors. This is a vastly innovative and ground breaking initiative by Blackpool Council, and a measure of just how seriously they take the future rejuvenation of the town. From 2011, no other UK centre other than London will be able to offer tourists such a unique and broad mixture of international attraction brands. This will help take what is already one of the best loved and iconic seaside resorts in Europe into the premier league.
Merlin have a long term association with the town through SEA LIFE, and the Tower complex offers a really exciting and unique location for quite a few of their globally recognized attraction brands. Given their experience to date, and the Council's exciting regeneration plans, they believe that this partnership will present considerable commercial advantages for both Blackpool and Merlin; but most notably real benefits for future visitors to the town. This is a bold but essential initiative which presents the greatest possible system for strengthening the destination role of the town. This will no doubt result in a considerable increase in employment and customer numbers and will no doubt fuse together all the other valuable initiatives and programmes which are intended to make Blackpool an appealing location to reside, visit and invest.
Small businesses in Blackpool and Hoteliers have hailed the deal saying it will position Blackpool well and truly back in the tourism spotlight for people from all over the British Isles. This is an incredible chance for Blackpool to really reap the benefits from getting such key brand names operating in the area. The deal will no doubt see Merlin promote the Blackpool attractions throughout the UK and also in Europe helping to increase Blackpool's profile as a visitor resort.
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