Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation and Merlin Entertainments to Bring SEA LIFE Aquarium & LEGOLAND Discovery Center to Shops at Rivercenter in 2018
SAN ANTONIO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Developer Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation and international visitor
attractions operator Merlin Entertainments (Merlin) are proud to
announce that two of Merlin’s premier attractions – SEA LIFE Aquarium
and LEGOLAND® Discovery Center – will be
featured in Shops at Rivercenter, a premier shopping, dining and
entertainment destination on the world famous Riverwalk in downtown San
Antonio. SEA LIFE Aquarium and LEGOLAND Discovery Center are scheduled
to open in 2018.
Shops at Rivercenter is one of Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation’s
premier assets with their complete portfolio containing more than 100
buildings valued in excess of $10 billion. “We, at Ashkenazy
Acquisitions, are so excited and very much look forward to SEA LIFE
Aquarium and LEGOLAND Discovery Center providing an entertaining and
educational experience to visitors. These attractions will further
define the Shops at Rivercenter and downtown San Antonio as one of the
premier entertainment destinations throughout the US,” says Ben
Ashkenazy, CEO of Ashkenazy Acquisitions Corp. “We are pleased to be
partnering with a quality organization like Merlin Entertainments.”
Merlin Entertainments’ John Jakobsen, Chief New Openings Officer, said:
“Shops at Rivercenter’s location on the world-famous Riverwalk and its
close proximity to The Alamo, a national historic landmark, makes this
project especially exciting for us. It’s the ultimate family
destination- the ideal environment for our attractions.”
The SEA LIFE and LEGOLAND Discovery Center complex will
comprise over 65,000 square feet of interactive and educational
attraction space and is expected to be a major visitor destination
within Shops at Rivercenter.
SEA LIFE is the world’s biggest aquarium brand with more than 50
major attractions across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific
including: London, Paris, Bangkok, Auckland, Orlando and others. San
Antonio will be the second SEA LIFE aquarium in Texas with the first
located in Dallas. SEA LIFE will highlight spectacular displays
of diverse marine life for visitors to enjoy – everything from shrimp
and starfish to seahorses, sharks and rays. SEA LIFE will feature, as
its stunning centerpiece, a tropical ocean tank with a walk-through
underwater tunnel – taking visitors on a seamless journey under the sea
which entertains, inspires and teaches both young and old. The
attractions offer everything from spectacular viewing windows, giving a
glimpse into the ocean itself, to enlightening talks, to feeding
demonstrations and many other ways to interact directly with some of the
incredible featured sea life.
Conservation is also a central part of the SEA LIFE experience. Visitors
will experience SEA LIFE’s exciting Breed, Rescue and Protect activities
around the world, including the work of the SEA LIFE Trust – a
registered charity established by Merlin to raise awareness of issues
affecting the world’s marine life; to promote solutions, and where
relevant, provide funding for valuable marine conservation work across
the globe.
LEGOLAND Discovery Center, Merlin’s very popular and unique
indoor family attraction based on the world’s favorite toy, the LEGO®
brick, will also be coming to Shops at Rivercenter. Described by
the company as the ultimate indoor LEGO playground, it has been designed
specifically for families with children ages 3 to 10 to play together,
offering a fun, highly interactive and educational two to three-hour
experience. LEGOLAND Discovery Centers provide a range of play
areas including a 4D cinema; themed LEGO play areas, creative workshops
with a LEGO Master Model Builder; exciting LEGO-themed rides; special
party rooms for birthdays and other celebrations; as well as the popular
MINILAND exhibit which is designed to reflect the iconic buildings and
skyline of each individual attraction’s location.
About Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation
Headquartered in New York City, Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation is a
private real estate investment firm focusing on retail and office assets.
Ashkenazy Acquisition has acquired over 15 million square feet of
retail, hospitality, office and residential properties, located
throughout the United States and Canada. With a portfolio containing
more than 100 buildings valued in excess of $10 billion, Ashkenazy
Acquisition has a superior performance history in purchasing and
managing premier assets.
About Shops at Rivercenter
Located on the world famous River Walk and next to the Alamo in downtown
San Antonio, the Shops at Rivercenter features more than 100 stores
including 9 full service restaurants, Macy’s, Dave & Buster’s, H&M,
IMAX, AMC Theaters, and a 1,000-room Marriott Hotel. In the last two
years, more than two dozen new retailers and restaurants have been added
to the customer offerings, including San Antonio’s only Margaritaville.
The Shops at Rivercenter welcomes more than 12 million visitors every
year. For more information, visit www.shoprivercenter.com.
Anant Patel
Shops at Rivercenter General Manager
(210) 225-0689
apatel@shoprivercenter.com
About Merlin Entertainments plc
Merlin Entertainments plc is a global leader in location based, family
entertainment. As Europe’s Number 1 and the world’s second-largest
visitor attraction operator, Merlin now operates over 100 attractions,
13 hotels and 5 holiday villages in 24 countries and across 4
continents. The company aims to deliver memorable experiences to its
more than 60 million visitors worldwide, through its iconic global and
local brands, and the commitment and passion of its c.27,000 employees
(peak season).
Visit www.merlinentertainments.biz
for more information.
Merlin has twenty seven attractions and two hotels in North America –
including two stunning LEGOLAND Resorts – LEGOLAND Florida with its
theme park, water park, hotel and holiday village; and LEGOLAND
California theme park with water park and the SEA LIFE aquarium and
themed hotel; Coca-Cola® Orlando Eye; Madame Tussauds celebrity wax
attractions in New York; Washington DC; Las Vegas; Hollywood; Orlando;
San Francisco and Nashville (Opening Spring 2017); LEGOLAND Discovery
Centers in Chicago; Dallas/Fort Worth; Phoenix, Arizona; Michigan;
Kansas City, Missouri; Atlanta; Boston; Westchester, New York; Toronto,
Canada and Philadelphia (Opening Spring 2017); a Dungeon in San
Francisco; and SEA LIFE aquariums in Phoenix, Arizona; Kansas City,
Missouri; Michigan; Dallas/Fort Worth; the Mall of America in
Minneapolis; Orlando, Florida and Charlotte – Concord, North Carolina –
underlining the company’s position as the world’s biggest global
aquarium operator.
Visit www.merlinentertainments.biz
for more information.
LEGO, the LEGO logo and LEGOLAND are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2017
The LEGO Group.
Contacts
For Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation
Melanie
Sessa, 646-214-0289
Marketing Director
msessa@aacrealty.com
or
For
Merlin Entertainments plc
Kieran Lancini, +44 7894 420
623
Global Head of Media Relations
Kieran.Lancini@merlinentertainments.biz
