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.