Done Deal: Upstate New York Will be Home to Northeast’s First Legoland
/The bricks have fallen into place, and Legoland will be coming to upstate New York in 2020. Despite local opposition groups, a change in the preferred host community, and two years of uncertainty, United Kingdom-based Merlin Entertainment has announced that the third Legoland in the United States and the first in the Northeast will be built in Goshen, New York. The site is just an hour or two from most parts of Connecticut and 60 miles north of Manhattan.
There are no indications that Connecticut was ever seriously considered for the theme amusement park. Currently, there are two operating Legoland locations in the U.S., in California and Florida. 
The $500-million amusement park and hotel are scheduled to be built on 500 acres right off Route 17 near exit 125 in Orange County, New York. Legoland anticipates generating $283-million in taxes for Orange County over 30 years, more than 1,000 jobs at the park and 800 for construction.
In 2015, Merlin Entertainment had tried to build in a nearby community, but the plan fell through. They next turned to Goshen, a small community with a population of just over 5,000. New York will support the project by investing $18 million, according to published reports, improving the current road infrastructure, upgrading traffic signals and building a bridge over Route 17. The project will also receive $7.1 million in grants through the Regional Economic Development Council Initiative and $8 million through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative.
The timing of the announcement followed a planning board vote in October, approving an umbrella resolution for its site plan, and permits to clear and grade the land. The review process took 17 months. The proposed Legoland theme park in Goshen had cleared a major hurdle in September when the Town Board amended Goshen’s comprehensive plan to allow commercial entertainment. A year ago, the plan was in doubt due to a variety of concerns raised locally, from traffic to environment to history.
“We have spent a lot of time building relationships in the community, listening and responding to concerns, and we are looking forward to building a theme park that will enhance the community and be a tremendous neighbor,” said Merlin Entertainments Chief Executive Officer Nick Varney. “I am honored to announce Legoland New York is officially moving forward.”
Merlin Entertainments, the developer of Legoland in New York, is one of the largest entertainment company operating in Europe, operating 123 attractions in 24 countries across four continents. About 2 million visitors annually are projected for Legoland New York, with the facility to be open each year from April 1 through Halloween.
The design of the New York location will build upon parks operating in California, Florida, the United Kingdom, Germany, Malaysia, Denmark, Dubai and Japan, where the most recent Legoland debuted.
Pieratti, who teaches English at South Windsor High School, relocated to Connecticut from upstate New York five years ago. She said “I have been nurtured by this state since I moved here,” and expressed appreciation to her colleagues in South Windsor. She has taught at the college and high school level, and was recipient of the Idaho prize for Poetry in 2015. Her 
Food and beverage companies often target marketing for nutrient-poor products such as candy, sugary drinks, snack foods, and fast-food restaurants to Hispanic audiences, including youth, the researchers state. They cite previous research that has documented disproportionate exposure to unhealthy food marketing by Hispanic youth in their communities and on TV, but theirs is the first examination of the phenomenon on the internet.
g vulnerable populations,” according to the publication’s website, “with the goal of providing optimal outcomes and ultimately health equity for all.” The journal intends to provide coverage ranging from translational research to prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of disease and illness, in order to serve as a primary resource for organizations and individuals who serve these populations at the community, state, regional, tribal, and national levels.
Paul won in the Best Original Score category for his work on Broadway’s “Dear Evan Hansen,” along with writing partner Benj Pasek. Before the night was out, the writers were back on the Radio City Music Hall stage to share another Tony for Best Musical for “Dear Evan Hansen.” In all, the play won six Tonys. Paul was the show's co-composer, co-lyricist and co-creator.
The 9/11-themed musical "Come From Away" won for best direction of a musical, Yale University graduate Christopher Ashley. It had a significant early reading at Goodspeed Musicals' Festival of New Artists in 2013. One of the show's producers spoke about "Come From Away" at this year's Goodspeed festival, just prior to the Broadway production opening.
ceremony, he thanked Westport's education and arts communities in his speech: "I was educated in public schools where arts and culture were valued and recognized and a resource," said Paul. "I am so grateful to all my teachers who taught so much and gave so much to us." Paul shared the award for the song "City of Stars," from the film "La La Land," with fellow lyricist Benj Pasek and composer Justin Hurwitz, and Hurwitz's score from the film also won an Oscar.
The overall rankings were weighted 80-20 between Entertainment & Recreation and Nightlife. The Entertainment & Recreation categories included restaurants, beaches, movie theaters, national parks, arts venues, and state spending on parks and recreation. The nightlife category included average beer & wine prices, movie costs, music festivals and access to bars.
The Office “actively assists local, national and international motion picture, TV and media production entities with finding locations in Connecticut, rules and procedures, securing permits, hiring local cast and crew and other services,” according to the agency’s website. In addition, the Office “represents the state and its agencies, municipalities and resident media professionals in interactions with media production entities and the industry at large.”
venue in the city. Ralph Edwards/Stu Billett Productions received nearly $4 million in tax credits in fiscal year 2016, spending just over $13 million in the state on a number of prominent program productions.
nts have been selected to receive the prestigious awards, including organizations and initiatives from 
