THE proposed Legoland New York project got under way last week when the town planning board in Goshen in the US state of New York approved the site plan for the $500m theme park following a 17-month review process.
The proposal was tabled by Legoland licensee Merlin Entertainments, which had to make zoning changes, upgrade the land from residential status to commercial and permit a commercial recreation facility into the plans to get the green light.
There had been some opposition to the plan initially, and Merlin appears to have overcome it, but local opposition remains in some quarters where residents fear the laid-back character of the town will be transformed.
Court action is still being threatened. The project will begin construction later this year and will open in 2019. It is expected to attract 2.5 million visitors each year.
