Danish toymaker LEGO is buying 29 LEGO Discovery Centres and LEGOLAND Discovery Centres from British theme park operator Merlin Entertainments. The £200 million ($269.5 million) deal is expected to close by the end of the year.
LEGO Discovery Centres in nine countries welcome around five million visitors a year. They combine LEGO play areas, creative workshops, and retail stores.
The acquisition of Discovery Centres aligns with LEGO’s strategy to enhance its control over customer interactions with the brand.
Fifteen of the 29 centres are located in North America, with seven each in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region (comprising China, Japan, and Australia).
Merlin, the operator of Madame Tussauds waxworks and the London Eye, will continue to operate 11 Legoland theme parks around the world under the LEGO license.