The saga of Cypress Gardens continues. The rumors that swirled shortly after the historic park closed in September last year have turned out to be true. Merlin Entertainments Group, which happens to own Legoland in California, is the new owner of of Cypress Gardens. Is there a Legoland in Florida's future? The Winter Haven NewsChief.com reported today that a press conference next Thursday will announce all the details of the sale and plans for the park will be revealed at that time.
Research shows that Merlin Entertainments Group is the largest operator of amusement parks and other attractions in Europe, globally only second to U.S.-based Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. Merlin is owned by the private-equity firm Blackstone Group. Blackstone's presence in Florida is on the rise. In October of last year they purchased Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and SeaWorld Orlando from the Busch Entertainment Corp.
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