AKIPRESS.COM - A new Legoland park will open in Nagoya, Japan, with doors opening to the public in 2017, operator Merlin Entertainment has announced.

The 32bn-yen (£185m) project will be the company's eighth park worldwide, BBC said.

Merlin, the operator of headline UK tourist attractions including Madame Tussauds and Alton Towers, will invest £53m in the project.

Kirkbi, a company run by the original family behind the Lego brand, is also investing in the park.

Merlin, the London-listed company, which bought Legoland in 2005, said that ultimately it saw potential for 20 Lego-themed parks worldwide.

"We remain committed to our target of opening a new park every two to three years," said Merlin chief executive Nick Varney.

The company has yet to announce details of what the resort will contain, but the original Legoland park in Billund, Denmark, has provided the model for its other parks worldwide.

Typically they combine traditional theme park rides with detailed miniature Lego models of famous buildings and cityscapes from around the world.