Legacy Entertainment spotlights recent significant milestones

Ahead of the 2024 IAAPA Expo being held later this month, California, USA-based entertainment design and production studio, Legacy Entertainment has spotlighted some of its significant performance milestones having recently been achieved by several previously completed projects. 

Legacy Managing Director Eric Carnagey, who is also one of its owners noted “with the return of China’s entertainment market to the global community, as well as our strengthening position in both the Middle East and Central Asia, the past few months alone have marked one of Legacy’s most exciting periods of growth in our entire history.

The company recently revealed two mega projects totalling over US$500 million of investment.

In Uzbekistan, the capital city of Tashkent will soon be home to Central Asia’s largest and most opulent entertainment destination - The Grand Serai. Designed by Legacy and inspired by the country’s rich cultural heritage, the 287,000 square meter (70-acre) resort will be anchored by a next-generation Water Park, Hotel, and Immersive Retail Promenade.  

In China, historically Legacy’s strongest market, the firm recently won an international tender to design a neighbouring project to Beijing’s Universal Studios resort. Envisioned as ‘The Aquarium of the Future’, Beijing Haichang Ocean Park promises to wow visitors with over four hectares (10-acres) of indoor exhibits and attractions spread across multiple floors. Design and planning are currently underway for the new park’s groundbreaking marine life habitats. Construction of the new attraction is expected to commence before the end of 2024.  

Over the last decade, Legacy has grown in popularity as one of the world’s preeminent aquarium design companies, with nearly US$2 billion since 2018 from other recently completed aquatic projects based in both Vietnam and China.

The Legacy team is also currently at work on several experiences and destinations around the world. These include: a Safari Park, a Snow Park, a Sports Park, and an IP-based Theme Park. In addition, the company is also presently pursuing its first foray into the Cruise industry.

Successful Projects
Beijing Haichang Ocean Park will mark the follow-up to the highly successful Shanghai Haichang Ocean Park, also designed by Legacy Entertainment, which debuted in 2018. The popular Shanghai destination, which features both aquarium and Theme Park attractions, broke its own record when it hosted over 4.2 million visitors in 2023. The park continued to shatter records during October 2024 during China’s National Day holiday period, when attendance exceeded 50,000 visitors per day, and the resort’s hotels operated at 95% capacity for 10 consecutive days.

Legacy also recently celebrated the first anniversary of the debut of the Chimelong Spaceship in Zhuhai, China, which the company designed. The 379,000 square meter (4,000,000 square foot) facility has been recognised with Seven Guinness World Records, including those for World’s Largest Indoor Theme Park and World’s Largest Aquarium. That venue serves as an all-weather second gate to the successful Chimelong Ocean Kingdom next door.  

Legacy’s other major 2023 opening, Batavia: The Floating City Mall at Indonesia’s PIK Development, has been so enthusiastically received since its debut that construction is now underway to literally double its size. Once completed, the leasable venue count at the site will increase from 53 to over 100 unique shopping and dining experiences.

For more than two decades, Legacy Entertainment has been one of the most successful entertainment design firms in the global industry. The company has developed, designed, and produced over 40 successful projects worldwide, spanning mediums that include Theme Parks, Hotels/Resorts, Casinos, and Aquariums.  

Signature Legacy projects to date have included: the Galaxy Macau Resort, the Macau Studio City resort, the Georgia Aquarium, the Lotte World expansion, and the Kingdom of Poseidon resort.

Recent Legacy project openings include: the Shanghai Haichang Ocean Park, the all-new Chimelong Spaceship in Zhuhai, China, the Lotte World Adventure Busan theme park in Busan, Korea, and The Sea Shell Aquarium at VinWonders Phu Quoc in Vietnam.

For more information on Legacy 

Image. With 75,350,969 litres of water, The CHIMELONG SPACESHIP in Zhuhai, China shattered the record for World's Largest Aquarium.In addition, the Aquarium itself is home to several other significant records, including World's Largest Aquarium Tank (56,450,136 litres), World's Largest Living Coral Reef Exhibit (2,848,562 litres), and World's Largest Indoor Artificial Wave (3.2metres). Credit: Legacy Entertainment