Legoland Florida set to lay off 234 workers
Legoland Florida Resort has announced it will lay off more than 200 employees in the coming weeks. The bulk of those affected are entertainers at the Winter Haven theme park.
According to a notice filed with Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, 234 Legoland workers will be permanently let go between March 25 and April 7.
'At Legoland Florida Resort we are making operational changes to help us elevate the guest experience in 2025 and beyond,' spokesperson Julie Estrada said. 'The decision to reduce the size of our entertainment team was undoubtedly difficult, but these changes will allow the resort to operate more flexibly and responsively in a competitive market.'
The company did not provide details or additional reasons for the staff reduction.
The notice, done in compliance with the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, indicates that 174 of the positions are 'entertainment performers,' although stage managers, technicians and production workers are listed, too. Among the non-entertainment positions on the list are a director, sustainability manager, retail supervisor, resort operations manager and head of resort quality.
Polk County's Central Florida Development Council listed the resort as having more than 1,500 employees as of October.
In December, Legoland announced it was ending its water-ski show on Lake Eloise. Its final production was Dec. 30. The attraction was a nod to Cypress Gardens — once called the 'water ski capital of the world' — which operated on the property from 1936 to 2009.
The Florida cuts come as the Winter Haven resort plans to add a Sea Life aquarium attraction this spring. It's under construction adjacent to the Legoland park and near its Peppa Pig Theme Park, which opened in 2022. Legoland Florida also operates three on-site hotels.
Legoland is owned by Merlin Entertainments Group, which purchased Cypress Gardens for $22 million in 2010. Legoland Florida opened on the site in 2011. The attraction was retooled and refurbished, keeping some rides with new theming. Hundreds of Lego-based figures were added to the park. The original, historic gardens area has been maintained.
Merlin, based in Britain, also operates the Orlando Eye, Madame Tussauds Orlando and Sea Life Orlando Aquarium on International Drive. Merlin runs dozens of attractions in Europe, Asia, Australia and the U.S., including Legoland parks in California and New York.
Disney World sets closing date for MuppetVision 3D show
In November, Merlin announced a deal with Mojang Studios to create real-life Minecraft-based attractions, although the locations were not identified. Later in November, Merlin CEO Scott O'Neil announced his resignation, and Chief Operating Officer Fiona Eastwood was chosen as interim CEO. In mid-January, O'Neil became CEO of LIV Golf, the Saudi-based tour, replacing former professional golfer Greg Norman.
dbevil@orlandosentinel.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Amsterdam's buzzy fitness spot Rostudios coming to Greenwich Village NYC: ‘The ideal home'
The first US location of Amsterdam-based fitness concept Rostudios is coming to Savanna's 799 Broadway at East 11th Street. The lease for the 9,000 square-foot studio is for 10 years and it's expected to open in the second quarter of 2026. Facilities will include a spin studio and an area for Pilates classes. Rostudios founder Rogier Van Duyn called it 'the ideal home for our first US location' where it will be a 'sanctuary where the community can connect, recharge and thrive through movement.' Advertisement Rostudios is coming to 799 Broadway at East 11th Street. Google Maps The 12-story, mixed-use building opened in 2022 and quickly drew office tenants such as Wellington, Rithm, and Bain. The office portion is 79% leased and only one office floor remains available. Savanna bought the building late last year. Ground-floor retail asking rents are $200 per square foot. The Rostudios deal was brokered by Cushman & Wakefield's Steven Soutendijk and Patrick O'Rourke. Advertisement Fisher Brothers has leased more than 35,000 square feet of leases for its pre-built spaces at 299 Park Ave. before they're even finished. The tenants are One William Street Capital Management, P10 Intermediate Holdings; and Tailwind Management. The deals account for three of five prebuilts now in construction on the third and fourth floors of the 1.2 million square-foot tower, which is 98% leased. The largest tenants include UBS, Capital One and King Street Capital Management. Advertisement 299 Park Ave. Google Maps Landlord partner Winston Fisher said the prebuilt tenants will enjoy exclusive access to a private lounge and gym. He said the leases are 'yet another signal that lading tenants continue to prioritize well-located, trophy-asset space.' The building recently saw $20 million in capital improvements including a redesigned lobby and exterior facade.
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Should you buy a house during a recession? The pros and cons of making a home purchase in shaky economic times
During the 2008 recession, nothing positive was said about the real estate or stock markets — everything was tanking. It was a time for conservative spending, not big purchases. But in reality, it was 'the greatest pinpoint to make a home purchase,' says Jarrod Armstrong, salesperson at real estate agency The Armstrong Team. Armstrong bought a home in the GTA during that time, against the advice of everyone. But the price was right, he says. 'There's no better time to buy than when the market is down.' And Toronto's real estate market is down. In April, GTA home sales dropped 23.3 per cent year-over-year, and prices fell by four per cent. While prices and buyer competition have declined — offering the perfect opportunity for purchasers ready to enter the market — it's brought on by Canadian consumer confidence taking a hit, with economists warning of a modest recession given the current trade uncertainty with the U.S. That's put would-be buyers on the sidelines, hoping to ride out the economic uncertainty. But they'd be missing an opportunity to buy a home, experts say. That's why it's important to understand the real estate market if you're thinking of buying a property during a potential recession. In April, the sales-to-new-listings ratio was 29 per cent, indicating that Toronto is in a buyers' market — meaning buyers have more negotiating power and less competition. 'Prices have come down and we don't have the frenzy that we had during the peak pandemic,' says GTA-based mortgage broker Mary Sialtsis. 'We don't have those crazy bidding wars.' Now buyers have the chance to see properties multiple times and can put in conditional offers such as asking for a home inspection, or additional time to attain a mortgage approval. Real estate agent Othneil Litchmore says there's 'a lot of inventory' and more to choose from, with properties sitting on the market for longer. 'Sellers should be willing to negotiate, so buyers have the opportunity to score a deal where previously there wasn't,' he says. The Bank of Canada has also dropped it's overnight lending rate seven times since June 2024, bringing its key rate to 2.75 per cent . While the central bank paused it's rate-cut cycle in April, variable interest rates (which are dictated by the central bank) are sitting around the mid-four per cent range, and fixed rates (dictated by the bond market) are sitting at around the low-four per cent range at the major banks, falling in line with the historical norm, says mortgage broker Leak Zlatkin. While some buyers may be waiting to see if the central bank drops interest rates further, this only impacts variable-rate mortgages and it's unlikely the bank will drop rates considerably, she says. Buying a property relies heavily on an individual's job and income, experts say, and job stability is key if planning to buy a home. Recession-proof jobs are often in essential services such as health care, education and public safety, with others being social work, accounting and finance. But manufacturing jobs or autoworkers are at a higher risk of layoffs due to the U.S. tariffs, and workers in those industries could face stricter mortgage requirements from lenders. 'If you're in a tariff-sensitive industry, that would be something that I would counsel my clients on and ask, 'Is now a really good time?' ' Sialtsis says. 'In those cases people should be hunkering down and tapping into the equity they already have should they be laid off.' During a market downturn, it's not the time to to flip homes or buy an investment property to make a quick buck, experts say. Renovating a home to then sell for a profit is unlikely to happen with home prices falling, Litchmore says. 'If you buy today and want to sell next year, not only will you not make any money, but you could lose some equity,' he says. If you sell the home for less than you bought it for, you're on the hook for the shortfall to the lender, which isn't a position you'd want to be in, he adds. It's important to buy a home you can live in for at least three to five years — a typical term for a mortgage — but preferably you'd want to live in the home for longer, says Zlatkin. 'You want to buy a home you'll be happy in and you have to think of what you can afford,' she says. 'If choosing a variable rate, and the interest rates go up, can you accommodate the increase in monthly mortgage payments? If not, then it's better to go with the certainty of fixed.' Prices have softened in the GTA, and while the drop hasn't been significant, it could mean that the value of your home could drop slightly from the purchase date to the closing date. A typical close is 60 days, but Sialtsis says you may want to ask for 45 days instead if you're concerned about a declining market. 'There is the risk of values dropping from buying to close,' she says. 'The lender always has the right to ask for an appraisal before close, and if the market tanks there could be an issue.' If the appraisal comes in lower than the purchase price, the borrower must make up the difference, typically putting down a bigger down payment. 'A lot depends on the individual lender and strength of the borrower,' she says. If the borrower has a sizeable down payment, the lender is more at ease with the loan because more equity is in the property. While the condo market is seeing the most noticeable price decrease, detached, semi-detached and townhome prices are remaining relatively flat, experts say. At the end of the day, speaking with a mortgage professional before looking for properties is the best way to ensure you know what mortgage you qualify for, and what you can afford to spend for monthly mortgage payments. 'There's a difference for how much you qualify for and what you can comfortably pay on a monthly basis,' Sialtsis says. 'Get your numbers sorted out beforehand.'
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Fast-casual stir-fry chain looking to make central Ohio debut in Gahanna
GAHANNA, Ohio (WCMH) – A fast-casual stir-fry chain may open its first central Ohio location near Gahanna. Honeygrow has applied for a permit to renovate 4782 Morse Road, according to Columbus city documents. A spokesperson said the brand is currently in the midst of lease negotiations for the space. The building formerly housed Mod Pizza, which closed last year amid financial troubles for the chain. Honeygrow has three Ohio eateries, located in Canton, Akron and Strongsville. Founded in 2012, the Pennsylvania-based chain has around 40 locations across the northeastern portion of the United States, according to its website. The business serves a variety of Asian-inspired stir fries, featuring noodles, meat, vegetables and sauce. The eatery also serves salads and desserts, such as fruit cups with sweet toppings called 'honeybars' and brownies. Customers have the option to build their own stir fry bowls, honeybars and salads. Honeygrow offers dine-in and take out at its restaurants, along with catering services. The company said it can not share any further information about the potential Gahanna location at this time. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
