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I am privileged to officially announce the LEGOLAND California Model Builder
Search 2006!
For Immediate Release
Contact: Julie Estrada (760)918-5377
news@legoland.com
LEGOLAND® CALIFORNIA EXPANSION
CREATES OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME
National tour kicks off Feb. 20 at Art Institutes campuses nationwide
CARLSBAD, Calif. (Jan. 26, 2006) – A job search, a competition of creativity
and determination and an opportunity of a lifetime…LEGOLAND® California is
searching the nation for the next member of the family theme park’s prestigious
Model Builder team. In a seven-city tour spanning the country, LEGOLAND is
putting thousands of adults up to the challenge. The Art Institutes, a system
of 32 education institutions across North America, will be the official host
location in each city.
“We recently announced the largest expansion in LEGOLAND California’s seven year
history. Pirate Shores opens this summer with four new water play attractions.
This addition requires incredible minds who can help create the whimsical and
charismatic LEGO® models that delight our guests,” said Julie Estrada, LEGOLAND
spokesperson. “We’re combing the nation in search of adults that never gave up
their love of designing and building with LEGO bricks.“
The current team of Park Model Builders design, build and maintain the more than
15,000 LEGO models that make LEGOLAND California a one-of-a-kind vacation
destination. Candidates applying for this dream job are given a 10-pound bucket
full of assorted LEGO play materials and have one hour to create a model on the
requested theme.
“Since Pirate Shores is the focus for 2006, it seems only appropriate the theme
in each city is pirate related,” said Patrick DeMaria, manager of the Model Shop
at LEGOLAND California. “Just when we think we’ve built the coolest LEGO model
possible, we get the opportunity to build something even better. That’s truly
the best part of the job: being able to dream of something, make it a reality in
the Park and then see the guest’s reaction when they stop to wonder at the
models.”
The nationwide search kicks off President’s Weekend at LEGOLAND California, Feb.
18 – 20. The weekend event includes two days of “Model Builder University”
where Park guests will have the once in a lifetime opportunity to learn tips and
tricks from current Model Builders as well as watch those Model Builders
tag-team with celebrities to show guests just how difficult it is to create a
model under pressure. On Monday, Feb. 20, the first applicants in the 2006
Model Builder Search have their opportunity to build a pirate-themed model in a
short time frame.
After kicking off at LEGOLAND California in Carlsbad, the official LEGOLAND
Model Builder Search will head to the following Art Institutes locations: The
Art Institute of California – Los Angeles, The Art Institute of California – San
Francisco, The Art Institute of Phoenix, The Art Institute of New York City, The
Art Institute of Dallas, and The Illinois Institute of Art - Chicago. Finalists
from each city will be invited to travel to LEGOLAND California to compete
against other winners and interview for the coveted spot as the seventh Model
Builder.
“We’re excited to welcome back The Art Institutes as our location hosts for this
year’s Model Builder Search. The campuses we’ve visited have been great
partners in helping us create high energy interest and excitement around the
events,” says Estrada.
A special Web site enables people to track the progress of the Model Builder
competition. Log on to LEGOLANDModelBuilder.com to see photos of the finalists’
models from each city and learn more about how the LEGOLAND Model Builder team
makes LEGO come to life at LEGOLAND California.
The Model Builders have developed a celebrity-status among Park guests and
frequently answer a barrage of questions while sharing building tips at the
Park. “While it’s true that you’re getting paid to play with toys, the job is
truly much more challenging than that,” said DeMaria. “You are actually part of
an attraction at LEGOLAND as guests can visit the Model Shop and watch every
move you’re making. If you can build in three dimensions with an audience and
under pressure, you’re the right person for the job.”
Throughout the 128-acre family theme park, the ingenuity of the Model Builders
is obvious. Many of their creations can be seen in Miniland USA, an area where
seven geographical regions are replicated in LEGO brick in a smaller scale.
Park guests are awed by the displays of intricate detail and accuracy such as in
the Empire State Building, the White House and the Kennedy Space Center. In
2005, Model Builders tackled the tallest building to ever be built in Miniland,
a 28-foot Freedom Tower designed after the original to be built in New York
City. Using more than 30-million LEGO bricks, their projects have ranged from
an 1,100-pound Brachiosaurus that peers down at guests in Dino Island, to a
pumpkin no bigger than a child’s fingernail. Even while enjoying the rides
guests can see the Model Builder’s creative minds at work. When riding Fairy
Tale Brook, guests can spy a prince carrying a cell phone or watch an animated
skunk “mist” golfers as they putt at Wild Woods Golf presented by La Jolla Club
Golf Company.
There are a mere 20 Model Builders at all four LEGOLAND Parks. Five of them work
here at LEGOLAND California. Coming from various backgrounds and skills, they
all have two things in common: They use every ounce of creativity in their daily
work, and they’re passionate about it. Beginning Feb. 20, talented and creative
applicants have the chance to show they have what it takes to inspire and create
at LEGOLAND California.
LEGOLAND® California is a 128-acre interactive theme park dedicated to families
with children between the ages of two and 12. Just like with LEGO® play
materials, kids are the ones who create the action at the Park. They drive,
pedal, squirt, climb, jump, stomp, slide, steer, pull, click, push, gallop,
laugh, build and program their way through more than 50 rides, shows and
attractions. There are three other LEGOLAND Parks in the world – LEGOLAND
Billund in Denmark, LEGOLAND Windsor outside of London and LEGOLAND Deutschland
near Günzburg, Germany. The LEGOLAND theme parks are a part of Merlin
Entertainments Group. For the most current information, log on to
http://www.LEGOLAND.com or call (760) 918-LEGO.
The Art Institutes system of 32 education institutions located throughout North
America, provides an important source of design, media arts, fashion and
culinary arts professionals. The parent company of The Art Institutes, Education
Management Corporation (http://www.edmc.com) is among the largest providers of
private post-secondary education in North America, based on student enrollment
and revenue. Student enrollment exceeded 72,000 as of fall 2005. EDMC has 72
primary campus locations in 24 states and two Canadian provinces. EDMC’s
education institutions offer a broad range of academic programs concentrated in
the media arts, design, fashion, culinary arts, behavioral sciences, health
sciences, education, information technology and business fields, culminating in
the award of associates through doctoral degrees. EDMC has provided
career-oriented education for more than 40 years. For more information visit
The Art Institutes website at http://www.artinstitutes.edu/legoland.
Build
On!
Eric Hunter
LEGOLAND
California
Model Shop
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