Legoland New York
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New additions to the theme park proposal are trying to win around those opposed to the plan.

“Some additional things that were recently discussed and is in front of the town board in the very near future is adding two community days where 50 percent of the revenue from the sale of tickets to the park would go to the Town of Goshen. That’s something that will be part of the proposed agreement, and also a 50 percent discount on one-day tickets to Legoland for Goshen residents,” Sommers says. “There’s also been an advance of when the Town of Goshen would be paid the minimum of $500,000 for the community fee, and that would happen at the beginning of each calendar year and with the balance depending on actual attendance.”

Sommers says that over 30 years, the Town of Goshen is anticipated to receive about $71 million in revenue from the host community fee, PILOT, or payment in lieu of taxes, payments and tax payments.

Meanwhile, the town board still has to vote on two proposed laws to make the proposed theme park viable. One is a proposed law amending the zoning code to create a commercial recreation overlay zoning district to allow a commercial recreation facility. The second is a proposed law to amend the comprehensive plan to allow for commercial/tourism recreation uses in certain areas.

Source: http://wamc.org/post/legoland-new-york-adds-community-benefits-goshen-proposal

Legoland will host 3 breakfast events to allow the members of Orange County Chamber of Commerce to learn more about the proposed theme park project in Goshen.

The dates are Tuesday, April 11, Wednesday, May 4, and Thursday, June 15, from 7:45 to 9 a.m. The event is free.

The Chamber and the team of LEGOLAND New York wants the community to learn more about the project and where they are in the process.

Source: http://www.chroniclenewspaper.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20170411/NEWS01/170419990/Orange-County-Chamber-LEGOLAND-hosting-information-breakfasts

After asking for a 20-year payment-in-lieu-of-taxes plan, the developer of the proposed Legoland New York theme park offered a host community fee to be paid to the Town of Goshen over 30 years. Merlin estimates the host fee will generate about $1.3 million a year for the town, totalling $52 million in 30 years.

But opponents are not sold on the idea.The Goshen Town Board discussed the host fee at its last meeting and has not yet set a date for voting on the agreement.

Source: http://www.chroniclenewspaper.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20170403/NEWS01/170409986/0/experts01/Goshen-considers-proposed-Legoland-host-fee

Merlin Entertainments' tax and employment projections for Legoland are realistic. That's the verdict of a recently published independent financial review commissioned by the Orange County Industrial Development Agency. A new Lego-themed park in Goshen would generate average annual sales tax revenue of $1.3 million for the town and $9.4 million for Orange County over the next 30 years, according to accounting firm KPMG's report.

The Orange County IDA may eventually use the study to decide whether to grant Merlin breaks on sales, property and mortgage-recording taxes on the $500 million project. But that IDA vote wouldn't come until after the state finishes an environmental review and the town rezones the proposed site for commercial development and waives its ordinance against theme parks.

Source: http://www.recordonline.com/news/20170311/orange-county-idas-independent-review-legolands-projections-realistic

Update on the proposed Legoland project in Goshen.

The developer behind the proposed $500 million Legoland theme park has scaled back its request for a 30-year tax break to a 20-year deal, increasing Legoland's projected payments to $87 million over 30 years instead of $61 million.

Merlin announced its decision late Wednesday via a news release. In a statement, Phil Royle, Merlin's head of community relations for its proposed Legoland New York, said, "While we believe our initial proposal of a 30-year PILOT would have generated tremendous economic benefits to the Town of Goshen, the Goshen School District and Orange County, we respect public feedback and are modifying our request to a 20-year agreement."

Source: www.recordonline.com/news/20170301/updated-tax-break-request-for-legoland-scaled-back

The negativity about building this park in Goshen continues. Citizens are concerned about the water supply.

The resistance against Legoland New York coming to Goshen continues, even as a court ruling knocked down as "premature" a legal effort to stop it.

The opponents say Legoland will destroy their fragile water system — and that once the water is gone, the town will follow.

Source: http://www.chroniclenewspaper.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20170201/NEWS01/170209978/0/experts14/Resistance-against-Legoland-continues

There is still a lot of negativity about building this park in its current location. There will be a lot of work needed to deal with the additional traffic on the local roads and other infrastructure.

Based on similar-sized parks, between 1.5 and 2.5 million annual visitors are anticipated, according to the DEIS. Expected peak daily traffic is from 4,500 to 5,000 vehicles entering the park over the course of the day, with about 1,500 entering vehicles at peak hour.

Source: http://www.chroniclenewspaper.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20161207/NEWS01/161209953/0/EXPERTS01/How-will-Legoland-affect-traffic?

A full-scale Sea Life Aquarium adjacent to the Legoland theme park is planned as shown in the layout:



Source: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/2095203-legoland-consultants-deliver-preliminary-details-to-goshen-planning-board/

Cale Heit, executive vice president of Forrec, the entertainment design company currently working to design Legoland New York, recently spoke to Attractions Management magazine about Legoland New York:

We’re working with Merlin on the masterplan right now. We’re going to take the best from the other parks, put it together and then add more to it as the new park comes to life.

One thing very unique for a Lego park is the property is very hilly. It’s a really beautiful green environment and we’re utilising the hills as an opportunity to help engage guests as they walk through. The topography of the area to pulls people through the park, incorporating it into the story and the theming.

The project has faced some obstacles but we’re using those challenges as opportunity. The site itself is quite large, so we’re using the trees to frame the park to try and mitigate any impact on the neighbours, while simultaneously making sure it's a very beautiful green space.

More quotes from Cale Heit are available over at the source: http://www.attractionsmanagement.com/detail.cfm?pagetype=detail&subject=news&codeID=328689

Here's the video for the proposed park