Hilton Garden Inn Carlsbad Ca

Merlin Entertainments Group Ltd is the largest operator of amusement parks and other attractions in Europe, and the second largest operating globally after Disney.

Headquartered in Poole, United Kingdom, Merlin Entertainments operates over fifty attractions in ten European countries, as well as USA, China and Hong Kong. Its success has been underpinned by strong partnership arrangements with both public and private sectors, with organisations as diverse as Disney and the Worldwide Fund for Nature.

The Financial Times has reported that Merlin Entertainments owned by Blackstone Group will file an IPO in the 2nd quarter of 2010. Merlin will be listed on the London Stock Exchange. If true this would be the second of Blackstone's 8 currently planned IPOs, the first being Team Health Holdings, Inc..

History

In December 1998, Nick Varney, Andrew Carr and the senior management team of Vardon Attractions completed a management buyout of the company to form Merlin Entertainments Group Ltd. Incorporated in 2004, Merlin Entertainments is majority owned by private equity company Blackstone Group.

Tussauds

In March 2007, Merlin Entertainments agreed to buy The Tussauds Group for £1 billion. Merlin Entertainments and Tussauds together attracted 30 million visitors during 2006 and employ more than 13,000 staff. After the acquisition, Dubai International Capital will hold 20% of Merlin Entertainment.

The buyout of Tussauds was completed on 22 May 2007 . The Tussauds Group as a separate entity has ceased to exist, with control of its attractions, including Madame Tussauds, The London Eye, Chessington World of Adventures, Alton Towers and Thorpe Park, among others, passing to Merlin.

Freehold sales

On 17 July 2007 , Merlin sold the freeholds of Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, Warwick Castle and Madame Tussauds to private investor Nick Leslau and his investment firm Prestbury. Although the attractions are owned by Leslau, they continue to be operated by Merlin, leasing each back on a renewable 35-year lease. Chessington World of Adventures (the fifth Tussaud's attraction) was not included in the deal.

PortAventura

As of 2007, negotiations have reopened into the repurchase of Spain's PortAventura resort, which was built by Tussauds in 1994-5 and operated until 1998, when it was sold to Universal Studios. It has since been resold to Spanish banking group La Caixa.

Brands

Resort Theme Parks

• Gardaland - the biggest theme park in Italy, with 40 rides, major shows, Sea Life Aquarium, a hotel and a water park.
• Alton Towers - The UK's most popular theme park resort, with over 40 rides, shows, 2 hotels, a water park, conference centre, 18-hole crazy golf, historic woodlands, house, gardens, Sea Life Aquarium and Spa.
• Chessington World of Adventures - family-orientated theme park located near London which is home to over 20 rides, 6 major shows a large zoo featuring big cats and gorillas, Sea Life Aquarium and a Holiday Inn Safari Lodge Hotel.
• Thorpe Park - Thrill-focussed theme park near London with over 20 rides and attractions.
• Heide Park - Germany's fourth-largest theme park, with 40 rides and attractions, major shows, dolphin displays and a hotel.

Midway Attractions

• Madame Tussauds waxwork exhibitions - operating in London, New York, Las Vegas, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Washington DC and in 2008 in Berlin and Hollywood
• Sea Life Centres - 27 centres across the UK and Europe at Blackpool, Great Yarmouth, Brighton, Weymouth, Scarborough, Loch Lomond, the Sea Life London Aquarium and the National Sea Life Centre in Birmingham in the United Kingdom, Bray in Ireland, Cuxhaven, Berlin, Hannover, Oberhausen, Königswinter, Speyer, Konstanz and München in Germany, Benalmadena in Spain, Blankenberge in Belgium, Scheveningen in The Netherlands, Helsinki in Finland and Val d'Europe (nr. Disneyland Resort Paris) in France. The attractions can also be found as part of Legoland Billund, Legoland California, Gardaland, Chessington World of Adventures and Alton Towers.

• Seal Sanctuaries - operate from three centres: the National Seal Sanctuary, Cornwall; the Hunstanton Sea Life Sanctuary; the Scottish Seal Sanctuary at Oban
• The Dungeons - the London Dungeon and its sister attractions in Edinburgh, York, Hamburg and Amsterdam
• Earth Explorer - a science based attraction, focusing on the way the elements shape our planet, based at Ostend, Belgium
• The Merlin Entertainments London Eye - One of the world's largest observation wheels and London's biggest visitor attraction
• Pepsi Globe - America's first observation wheel, opening in 2010 at Meadowlands Xanadu in New Jersey, USA
• Legoland Discovery Centre - Indoor Legoland parks in Berlin,Germany; Duisberg, Germany and Schaumburg, Illinois, containing amongst other attractions a 'Dragon Coaster' and 4D cinema. Another Legoland Discovery Centre is set to open in Meadowlands Xanadu, New Jersey, United States in 2009 and another in the UK at The Trafford Centre near Manchester in spring 2010.
• Warwick Castle - the UK's most popular historical castle attraction located in the heart of Warwickshire which is also home to a "Dungeons" branded attraction called "The Castle Dungeon".

Legoland Parks

• Legoland - purchased in 2005 from the Lego Group group in Denmark, Lego continues to own 30% in the ongoing business. There are presently four Legoland theme parks: Legoland Billund in Denmark; Legoland Windsor in Windsor, England; Legoland California in Carlsbad, California, USA; and Legoland Deutschland in Günzburg, Germany. A fifth park will open in 2011 in Dubai and a sixth in Malaysia in 2013.

Hotels & Business Centres

Merlin owns and operates six hotels across Europe:

• Alton Towers Hotel, Alton Towers, Staffordshire, England
• Splash Landings Hotel, Alton Towers, Staffordshire, England
• Hotel Legoland, Legoland, Billund, Denmark
• Port Royal Hotel, Heide Park, Soltau, Germany
• Gardaland Resort Hotel, Gardaland, Lake Garda, Italy

They also hold the freehold for the Holiday Inn at the following hotel:

• Safari Lodge Holiday Inn, Chessington World of Adventures, Surrey, England

Conference facilities are located at:

• Alton Towers Conference Centre, Staffordshire, England

In addition, the group owns and operates the Alton Towers Spa at the Alton Towers Resort. A sixth hotel is planned to open in 2010 at the Gardaland Resort in Italy. A seventh hotel is planned for Thorpe Park in the next few years whilst a new hotel/accommodation is likely for Alton Towers in the next few years as the Alton Towers resort expands opening.

References

1. ^ Blackstone’s Merlin Entertainment to Go Public in ’10, FT Says
2. ^ http://www.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idUSTRE59B01M20091012?feedType=RSS&feedName=businessNews
3. ^ http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE5954ZC20091006
4. ^ WebCHeck - Problems
5. ^ BBC NEWS | Business | Tussauds firm bought in £1bn deal
6. ^ Merlin Entertainments, leading name in location based, family entertainment - A New Force in Global Leisure
7. ^ BBC NEWS | Business | Alton Towers sold in £622m deal

Hilton Garden Inn Carlsbad Beach - Driving Directions

Point of Departure: Destination: Hilton Garden Inn Carlsbad Beach: 6450 Carlsbad Blvd: Carlsbad CA 92011: US

...

Welcome to the Hilton Garden Inn - Carlsbad, CA

6450 Carlsbad Blvd Carlsbad, CA 92011 Tel: 760-476-0800 Fax: 760-476-0801

...

Hilton Garden Inn Wedding Packages

6450 Carlsbad Blvd Carlsbad, CA 92011 Tel: 760-476-0800 Fax: 760-476-0801 ... professional and friendly staff at the Hilton Garden Inn Carlsbad Beach ...

...

Hilton Garden Inn Hotel Carlsbad California - Carlsbad Beach Hotel ...

The Hilton Garden Inn Carlsbad Beach Hotel is across from the beach, N. of San Diego. Legoland California, Carlsbad Flower Fields, Carlsbad Premium Outlets, Sea World, San Diego ...

...

Dates & Preferences: Hilton Garden Inn Carlsbad Beach

... Hilton Garden Inn Carlsbad Beach 6450 Carlsbad Blvd Carlsbad, California 92011 1-760-476-0800

...

Hilton Garden Inn Carlsbad Beach Carlsbad California

Hilton Garden Inn Carlsbad Beach hotel reservations in Carlsbad, California

...

Hilton Garden Inn Carlsbad Beach (Carlsbad, CA) - Hotel Reviews ...

Hilton Garden Inn Carlsbad Beach, Carlsbad: See 122 traveler reviews, 11 candid photos, and great deals for Hilton Garden Inn Carlsbad Beach, ranked #7 of 33 hotels in Carlsbad and ...

...

Hilton Garden Inn - Carlsbad California CA hotels

Hilton Garden Inn hotels in Carlsbad, CA ... Hilton Garden Inn Carlsbad Beach 6450 Carlsbad Blvd Carlsbad, CA 92009 Nightly Rates: ( 159.00 - 319.00 )

...

Hilton Garden Inn Carlsbad Beach - Carlsbad California Hotels ...

Located in beautiful Carlsbad, north of San Diego, the hotel is across from the beach, and only minutes from Legoland. Appealing amenities such as microwave, refrigerator, movies ...

...

HILTON GARDEN INN - CARLSBAD BEACH, Carlsbad, California

Carlsbad, California photos and information about the San Diego County city

...