New Legoland Discovery Center is Built at Crown Center; GoldOller Acquires 1,395 Residential Units

By Gabriel Circiog, Associate Editor

Merlin Entertainments Group has broken ground on its second attraction in Kansas City: the Legoland Discovery Center at Crown Center. The Kansas City Business Journal reports the 30,000-square-foot facility is scheduled to open in May 2012. The $15 million facility will be the second of its kind in the world and will incorporate more than 2 million Legos. Local project members and officials are hoping the new attraction, along with the $15 million aquarium which is set to open next door, will attract new visitors to the Crown Center district. Bill Lucas, president of Crown Center Redevelopment Corp., said that upon opening, it is expected to solidify Crown Center as the Midwestern family destination.

Merlin Entertainments Group, the second biggest visitor attraction operator in the world, is expecting to attract 250,000 visitors annually to the Kansas City location and to hire almost 100 people.

In other news, GoldOller Estate Investments LLC has announced today the acquisition of eight apartment communities in suburban Kansas City. The portfolio containing 1,395 units was acquired from Urdang Associates of Plymouth Meeting Pa for an undisclosed fee.

The properties include 807 units in the Red Bridge area of Kansas City and 588 units in Prairie Village. McCausland Keen & Buckman represented the buyer. Richard Oller, GoldOller Chairman, said the GoldOller Apartment Fund which was formed only 18 months ago, will contain over 5,000 rental units in six states. The aggregated asset value is in excess of $250 million.