Springfield Town Center owner Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust has signed a lease with Merlin Entertainments for the D.C. region’s first LEGO attraction, this one a next generation version called LEGO Discovery Center.
The 32,000-square-foot indoor attraction, planned for the lower level of the mall directly off the main entrance, is scheduled to open in 2023, but no other details of what the Springfield location will have have been offered.
Other Legoland locations typically have a LEGO store, playgrounds and rides. Some have hotels.
“We are delighted to be opening an indoor LEGO attraction in Washington D.C. at Springfield Town Center. We look forward to revealing more special details over the coming months,” said Meike Lippert, senior divisional director Midway Europe and global new openings for Merlin Entertainments.
The closest Legoland to D.C. is in Plymouth Meeting Pennsylvania, outside of Philadelphia. There are 14 Legoland locations in the U.S.
At Springfield Town Center, it will join other “experiential” tenants, including Dave & Buster’s, Maggie McFly’s and Yard House.
“Experiential tenants have proven to be great catalysts throughout our portfolio and we expect that, upon opening, our trade area will expand by a two-hour drive time, driving traffic and sales,” said Joseph Coradino, CEO of PREIT.
LEGO Group does not fully own LEGOLAND locations. It is a partnership with U.K.-based Merlin, one of the largest visitor attractions operators, with 138 attractions and 21 hotels in 24 countries. It also owns Madame Tussauds.
