The Tussauds Group
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The Tussauds Group is, combined with its partner company Merlin Entertainments, the world's second largest leisure group, second only to Disney. Its base is in Leatherhead, Surrey, UK from where it manages a large portfolio of brands including the famous Madame Tussauds waxworks, Legoland Parks, Sealife Centres, The Dungeons and the highly successful Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, and Chessington World of Adventures in the UK.
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[edit] History
Between 1900 and 1977, Madame Tussauds was the main asset for the Tussauds group. This changed in 1978 when the business was acquired by S. Pearson and Son, now Pearson PLC. Chessington Zoo was already owned by Pearson and became a Tussauds attraction. In the same year Warwick Castle was acquired. Several small acquisitions were made before 1990, when Alton Towers was bought for £60 million.
In 1995, Port Aventura in Spain opened, in which Tussauds had a 40% stake and managed the theme park. The stake was sold in 1998 to enable the purchase of Thorpe Park, in South East England - management of Port Aventura ceased with its sale.
In 1999, after being part of Pearson for twenty years, Charterhouse Development Capital acquired the group. In 2000, the London Eye launched, owned by British Airways but by managed Tussauds. In 2001 the group purchased Heide Park in Germany.
In 2005, the group was sold to Dubai International Capital for £800 million ($1.5 billion). In 2006, the group purchased the London Eye outright.
In March 2007, the group was sold to Merlin Entertainments, in a £1Bn deal. DiC will hold 20% of the combined group[1]. The group will add two new hotels to portfolio in 2007 - Safari Lodge in Chessington, and Port Royal in Soltau, North Germany.
[edit] Attractions
- Madame Tussauds waxwork museums in eight cities:
- London
- New York City
- Las Vegas
- Amsterdam
- Hong Kong
- Shanghai
- Washington DC (opening October 2007)
- Los Angeles (opening date unknown)
- Four popular theme parks:
- Alton Towers in Staffordshire, England
- Thorpe Park in Surrey, England
- Chessington World of Adventures in Surrey, England
- Heide Park in Soltau, Germany
[edit] Hotels
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- The Alton Towers Hotel, Staffordshire, England
- Splash Landings Hotel, Staffordshire, England
- Safari Lodge Hotel, Surrey, England
- Port Royal Hotel, Soltau, Germany
- Alton Towers Conference Centre, Staffordshire, England
