Beijing Legoland to help China’s capital spur economy as construction set to begin this year
- A Legoland park in China’s capital has been discussed for years, and after falling by the wayside in 2022, the city says ground will finally be broken in 2023
- Dean of Institute for Theme Park Studies explains how China still remains a huge market for theme park consumption
Beijing really wants to build with Lego. A theme park, that is. And if construction starts this year as expected, it would be one of the capital city’s major economy-boosting projects.
When recently unveiling its annual economic plan for 2023, the city said it “seeks to initiate the construction of Legoland” after it failed to get under way last year, when Beijing had similarly listed it among nine priority projects that were expected to break ground in 2022.
And a leading theme-park expert in China says the announcement reflects how important the country remains to global developers who are keen to cash in on the country’s post-Covid recovery, with an eye on the future.
In fact, the planned 304,000-square-metre (75-acre) resort is one of four Legoland parks that UK-based Merlin Entertainments has planned for China. But even though the possibility of a Beijing Legoland has been discussed for years, few details have been confirmed, including its possible completion date.
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China’s biggest warship recreated in miniature Lego
Merlin, which has opened several Legoland parks and Legoland Discovery Centres around the world through its partnership with the world’s No 1 toymaker by revenue, is also building the world’s largest Legoland theme park in Shenzhen, across the border from Hong Kong.