Ussher shows proposed site map. Dark line at top is Route 17
Chart details what Legoland claims will be benefits for the area
GOSHEN – An overflow crowd of area residents turned out Tuesday night at the Orange County 911 emergency center in Goshen to learn what Merlin Entertainments has in store for the $500 million Legoland facility that it wants to build along Route 17 near the Orange-Ulster BOCES facility in the Town of Goshen.
The company has an interest on the 523 acres of land with plans to build on only 153 acres.
Assuming the all of the environmental issues are addressed and the town grants final approval, Senior Divisional Director John Ussher said they would hope to break ground in a year with completion by 2019.
“We want to make sure the community understands what we are doing,” Ussher said. “We want to make sure the politicians are happy with what we are doing. We want to make sure we have the state incentives to make the project happen and then we need to get board approval. Provided all that happens then we will take it… we are just unveiling the project to the town board tonight.”
The park, complete with a 250-room hotel, would be geared toward families with children ages two to 12, he said. They would expect roughly two million visitors annually and that is with the facility open from April 1 through Halloween yearly.
One-third of the visitors are expected to be tourists, another one-third would be day-trippers and the final third would be local residents.
Ussher said they would hope to connect with the Village of Goshen for water and sewer service and have addressed the issues of noise, traffic and public opinion.
Ussher said Legoland has secured state grants and will seek others as well as Orange County Industrial Development Agency financial incentives including a payment-in-lieu of taxes, and exemptions from mortgage recording and sales tax.
Company plans also propose modifications for Route 17 to bring visitors in and out of the park, which Ussher said would be paid for by the state.
