It may be “slow-motion Goshen” to residents, but Orange County”™s town of 13,000 will see life kick up a notch or two now that Legoland New York officially opened its gates on July 9. It didn”™t take long for the parking lot to fill up, either.
After seeing its original opening date pushed because of the pandemic, Merlin Entertainment”™s $500 million investment had a “soft” opening three months ago, admitting season passholders and offering a limited number of discounted tickets at the gate.
With the virus restrictions lifted in June, state and local officials joined Merlin”™s representatives on July 9 to cut the ribbon and formally open its doors, albeit a year later than originally planned.
Seven themed “lands” make up the parks”™ character, including Lego Castle, Ninjaworld, Miniland and Bricktopia. (Yes, every ride looks as if it”™s made of Legos.) The new New York theme park also features the first Lego Factory Adventure Ride, transforming its riders into “minifigures” to give them a bird”™s eye view of how Legos are made. For guests who use wheelchairs, it features a specialized vehicle capable of carrying them along for the ride. It is one of the many amenities Legoland strives to include for children with disabilities.
Construction of a 250-room Legoland Hotel with heated pool on site is nearing completion and is already booking reservations for Aug. 6.
The hotel, geared toward the 3-12 age group, has rooms that include a separate children”™s sleeping area and offers entertainment and scavenger hunts for the younger set on the premises.
Legoland New York is Merlin”™s third entertainment park in the United States and its 10th Lego-themed park worldwide. The company had first sought to build in Rockland County and had targeted the former Letchworth Village property in Thiells, but with no buy-in from the surrounding community, Merlin set its sights on Orange County. The company bought 500-plus acres on Harriman Drive, the site of the former Arden Hill Hospital, for what would eventually become its 150-acre amusement park.
After Merlin obtained all the necessary approvals to proceed with construction in 2018, the company spent more than $40 million (with a $10 million assist from the Empire State Development) to relocate and reconstruct Route 17”™s Exit 125 interchange, building an on/off ramp across the highway to access the property and a third westbound lane to improve traffic flow on what will eventually become Interstate 86.
Merlin negotiated a 20-year payment in lieu of taxes for the project, saving the company approximately $37 million. The PILOT calls for Merlin to pay $60 million to the Goshen Central School District, $5-plus million to the Goshen Fire District and another $10 million to Orange County annually. Merlin also agreed to pay its host community an annual fee based on park attendance, to discount residents”™ admission and to provide well water.
Legoland will also pay Orange County”™s hotel tax, expected to generate a minimum of $500,000 annually. The park”™s construction has helped to create hundreds of union jobs as a result of a project labor agreement with the local trade. It expects to employ 800 full- and part-time workers during its peak season.
If you”™re planning to visit the park, leave the cash at home: these days, it”™s either plastic or Apple Pay; all of Merlin”™s theme parks have gone “cashless.”
