The first (and only) Legoland theme park in Asia is on track to open next year Johor, its builder said, as the region goes all out to lure tourists with a series of big ticket attractions.

Earthmovers have flattened a vast expanse of oil palm-covered hills to make way for the 31ha Legoland Malaysia, one of the main attractions of the Iskandar economic zone

Read more at Johor on track for Asia’s first Legoland, TheStar.

Johor March 2011 Updates.

NUSAJAYA: The biggest challenge in building the first Lego theme park in Asia is its tropical setting.

Legoland Development general manager John Ussher said the RM700 million theme park over 26 hectares of land here will feature plenty of shade for visitors.

“Although Legoland Malaysia will be similar to the company’s four other Legoland parks, the tropical climate poses a bit of a challenge for us to design the landscape. It will be very green, and the natural hills will be retained.

“We have already placed orders for saplings, so when the park is ready, the saplings will have grown into full trees,” he said after the ground-breaking of Legoland Malaysia by Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman yesterday.

The park, scheduled to open in 2012, will provide a full-day theme park experience with more than 40 interactive rides, shows and attractions mainly for families with young children aged 2 to 12.

On the competition from Universal Studios Singapore which will open next year, Iskandar Investment Bhd president and chief executive officer Arlida Ariff said the two theme parks offer a different experience.

“It would only give tourists more reason to extend their stay in the region as they would want to visit both theme parks,” she said.

Via NST Online.

The Family Indoor Theme Park will be housed in a RM350mil complex. Construction of the complex would start mid-2010 and is expected to be completed at the end-2012. This is in addition to the RM750 million (S$307 million) Legoland outdoor theme park on a 51ha land area in Nusajaya announced last year.

Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said Legoland Malaysia in Medini and the Family Indoor Theme Park in Puteri Harbour were more for children below 12 years of age. In contrast, Universal Studios which is part of the integrated resort development on Sentosa Island catered more for young adults. Johor is not competing with Singapore in attracting visitors to the two soon-to-be-built theme parks in Iskandar Malaysia.

That was what he said.

We, at JB Cool, think otherwise. With the development of Iskandar Malaysia, it is about time Johor Bahru compete with Singapore in all areas including theme parks. The Nusajaya township, which is a core development in Iskandar Malaysia, is only a 10-minute drive from Johor’s immigration checkpoint at the Second Link. With the exchange rate lower here, tourists have more spending power compares to Singapore.

p/s
Of course this mus be supported with good management and marketing

Before this, there are already Legoland in 4 other locations which are Legoland Billund (Billund, Denmark), Legoland Windsor (Windsor, England, United Kingdom), Legoland Deutschland (Günzburg, Germany) and Legoland California (Carlsbad, California, USA).

Legoland Dubailand is planned to open in Dubai, United Arab Emirates by 2011, as the first Legoland in Asia. Legoland Malaysia will also be opened in Nusajaya, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia under the Iskandar Malaysia in 2013.

Other news on Legoland Johor (Legoland Malaysia) are attached:

1. Legoland Johor

2. Asia’s First Legoland in Johor

3. Legoland coming up in Johor

4. Malaysia first in Asia to host Legoland Park

5. Legoland in Johor Bahru, Malaysia

6. Johor to have Legoland Theme Park

7. Asian iconic structures to feature at Legoland in Johor

8. Legoland to open in Malaysia

9. Legoland coming to Johor