GOSHEN, N.Y. (May 15, 2017) – LEGOLAND® New York officials expressed gratitude following the Town of Goshen’s board meeting on May 15, where the board approved the enhanced Community Host Benefit Agreement in a 4-1 vote.
“We want to express our deepest thanks to the members of the board who voted to approve this Community Host Benefit Agreement,” said Phil Royle, LEGOLAND New York’s head of project & community relations. “We are humbled and appreciative of the board’s recognition of our commitment to bring tremendous financial benefits to Goshen and greater Orange County. We are equally committed to being a very positive and active neighbor in the community. We look forward to the next steps in this transparent review process, which is to discuss the FEIS.”
The increased benefits from the existing proposal include:
• Every year, LEGOLAND New York will host two Community Days for the Town of Goshen and donate 50 percent of the revenue from the sale of tickets to the Park to the Town of Goshen – creating a unique opportunity for fundraising by the Town. This program will be similar to Community Days at other LEGOLAND Parks. Since LEGOLAND® California opened in1999, Community Day has provided $899,259 in cash donations to community organizations.
• A 50 percent discount on standard one-day tickets to LEGOLAND New York for all Goshen residents for their own use. Valid proof of Goshen residency is required for each ticket.
• LEGOLAND New York will pay the Town of Goshen $500,000 of the Host Community Fee at the beginning of each calendar year, with the balance depending on actual attendance paid at the end of the calendar year.
• LEGOLAND New York will pay the town’s actual costs to develop additional drinking water resources to supplement the existing water supply for Arcadia Hills.
LEGOLAND New York will pay the Town of Goshen a host community fee for every visitor to the Park. For each visitor up to 2 million, LEGOLAND New York will pay the Town of Goshen 65 cents, and 20 cents for each visitor thereafter – with no cap on payments. This will provide the Town of Goshen with at least $1.3 million annually, based on 2 million visitors and substantially more depending on the success of the Park.
Previously, Merlin Entertainments agreed to include a minimum payment based on 800,000 visitors, and to increase the annual rate by 1.5 percent per year. These payments will continue for 30 years, even though LEGOLAND New York has reduced its PILOT request from a 30-year to a 20-year term – which means that the Town will receive full tax revenue and the host community fee simultaneously between years 20 and 30.
The Host Community Benefit Agreement will take effect if the Town Board votes to pass a local law modifying the zoning to allow the LEGOLAND project.
Over 30 years, the Town of Goshen is anticipated to receive approximately $71 million in revenue from the host community fee, PILOT payments and tax payments.
About Merlin Entertainments plc
Merlin Entertainments plc is a global leader in location based, family entertainment. Europe’s No. 1 and the world’s second-largest visitor attraction operator, Merlin now operates more than 100 attractions, 13 hotels and five holiday villages in 24 countries and across four continents. The company aims to deliver memorable experiences to its more than 63 million visitors worldwide, through its iconic global and local brands, and the commitment and passion of its approximate 27,000 employees. Visit www.merlinentertainments.biz for more information.
About LEGOLAND Parks
The first LEGOLAND Park opened in 1968 in Billund, Denmark, following by Windsor in the United Kingdom in 1996 and in California in 1999. In 2002, LEGOLAND Deutschland opened. Since 2005, those four Parks have belonged to British-based Merlin Entertainments Group. In 2011, the group opened LEGOLAND Florida and LEGOLAND Malaysia in 2012. LEGOLAND Dubai opened in October 2016 and LEGOLAND Japan opened in April of this year. To learn more about LEGOLAND New York, come to the Community Welcome Center at 6 N. Church St. in Goshen to visit and review plans or visit: www.LEGOLAND.com.
