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NEWS
Sony FEC and waterpark planned for Minnesota
POSTED 19 Jan 2016 . BY Tom Anstey
The Mall of Entertainment will cover 430,000sq ft and will include the Sony Entertainment Center as well as a 275-bedroom Marriott Hotel and a waterpark
Developer iP2 Entertainment is planning to open an indoor Sony family entertainment centre (FEC) in Minnesota to complement an adjacent waterpark and hotel as part of a US$115m (€105m, £80.8m) mega leisure development.

iP2, a media company which specialises in immersive FECs, has also launched similar endeavours with an FEC in Jakarta and a DreamWorks concept in Manila over the past two years.

Known as the Mall of Entertainment, the Albertville-based destination will cover 430,000sq ft (40,000sq m) and will include the Sony Entertainment Center as well as a 275-bedroom Marriott Hotel and a 50,000sq ft (4,645sq m) waterpark.

In addition to those developments, there could be an edutainment centre based on National Geographic. Branded ‘Ultimate Explorer’, the attraction is described as a place for children to “play, jump, climb, explore and learn about our world through the incredible and often breathtaking experiences National Geographic is known for”. The developers are yet to confirm that plan however, with details still being finalised.

Formed of iP2, real-estate manager Casey Darkenwald, Robert Kelly of the Roy Anderson Group and Kevin Hanson of International Creative Capital, the Black Forest LLC partnership says all financing has been secured on the development.

The plan has been under-wraps but in the works for several years so the developers already own the land, which has been successfully re-zoned. The project will create 2,000 jobs in the state.

The development is scheduled to break ground in Q3 2016, with an opening date near the end of 2017.
Black Forest LLC says all financing has been secured on the development
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The UK's four Chief Medical Officers have published a refreshed edition of Physical activity guidelines: UK Chief Medical Officers' report, updating the evidence that underpins the nation's physical activity recommendations and placing greater emphasis on strength, balance, reducing sedentary behaviour and, for the first time, supporting people taking weight loss medications.
Sauna advocate Becky Pelkonen drafts global public sauna-bathing charter
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Marriott International has partnered with Fitwel, a healthy building certification system that aims to optimise occupant health.
Anna Bjurstam steps down from Six Senses to build new company Wahayla
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23-26 Aug 2026

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Uniting the world of spa & wellness
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News   Products   Magazine   Subscribe
NEWS
Sony FEC and waterpark planned for Minnesota
POSTED 19 Jan 2016 . BY Tom Anstey
The Mall of Entertainment will cover 430,000sq ft and will include the Sony Entertainment Center as well as a 275-bedroom Marriott Hotel and a waterpark
Developer iP2 Entertainment is planning to open an indoor Sony family entertainment centre (FEC) in Minnesota to complement an adjacent waterpark and hotel as part of a US$115m (€105m, £80.8m) mega leisure development.

iP2, a media company which specialises in immersive FECs, has also launched similar endeavours with an FEC in Jakarta and a DreamWorks concept in Manila over the past two years.

Known as the Mall of Entertainment, the Albertville-based destination will cover 430,000sq ft (40,000sq m) and will include the Sony Entertainment Center as well as a 275-bedroom Marriott Hotel and a 50,000sq ft (4,645sq m) waterpark.

In addition to those developments, there could be an edutainment centre based on National Geographic. Branded ‘Ultimate Explorer’, the attraction is described as a place for children to “play, jump, climb, explore and learn about our world through the incredible and often breathtaking experiences National Geographic is known for”. The developers are yet to confirm that plan however, with details still being finalised.

Formed of iP2, real-estate manager Casey Darkenwald, Robert Kelly of the Roy Anderson Group and Kevin Hanson of International Creative Capital, the Black Forest LLC partnership says all financing has been secured on the development.

The plan has been under-wraps but in the works for several years so the developers already own the land, which has been successfully re-zoned. The project will create 2,000 jobs in the state.

The development is scheduled to break ground in Q3 2016, with an opening date near the end of 2017.
Black Forest LLC says all financing has been secured on the development
RELATED STORIES
IAAPA 2015 kicks off with seminar on importance of play


The conference thread of the 2015 IAAPA Expo got underway today (16 November) with a seminar on play, spotlighting examples of how the 'maker movement' can help encourage engagement and learning in the attractions industry.
Goddard Group's Hollywood-inspired US$3.2bn Studio City opens in Macau


The multi-billion dollar Hollywood-inspired Studio City Resort in Macau, which as its centrepiece offers Asia’s tallest and the world’s only figure-8 ferris wheel, has opened its doors in China.
Shrek and co coming to Manila's City of Dreams


Melco Crown Resorts has announced a new collaboration with Dreamworks Animation, which will see the pair team up to deliver a Dreamworks-inspired “Edutainment Centre” at Manila’s City of Dreams in the Philippines.
MORE NEWS
UK updates physical activity guidelines with focus on daily movement
The UK's four Chief Medical Officers have published a refreshed edition of Physical activity guidelines: UK Chief Medical Officers' report, updating the evidence that underpins the nation's physical activity recommendations and placing greater emphasis on strength, balance, reducing sedentary behaviour and, for the first time, supporting people taking weight loss medications.
Sauna advocate Becky Pelkonen drafts global public sauna-bathing charter
Becky Pelkonen, the sauna advocate and researcher, has unveiled the draft of a global public sauna-bathing charter.
Marriott International partners with Fitwel for wellness solutions across its residential portfolio
Marriott International has partnered with Fitwel, a healthy building certification system that aims to optimise occupant health.
Anna Bjurstam steps down from Six Senses to build new company Wahayla
Anna Bjurstam has left her role as Wellness Pioneer at Six Senses Hotels and Resorts and launched a new wellness, longevity and “consciousness consultancy” called Wahayla.
Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere, opens with spa philosophy of ‘Wellness without Walls’
Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere, has opened today (10 July) in the Northwest of England with a 1,715sq m Fairmont Spa that has been designed using a ‘Wellness without Walls’ concept.
'Minor wellness hotels' recorded the strongest growth across top KPIs in 2025, finds RLA Global
Wellness hotels generating less than US$1 million (€932,700, £785,200) – or 10 per cent of total revenue from wellness and leisure – recorded the strongest RevPAR and TRevPAR growth in 2025 across categories when compared with 2024, according to the latest Wellness Real Estate Report by RLA Global, produced in partnership with P and L benchmarking firm HotStats.
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Zerobody Cryo: Starpool's contrast therapy solution
Contrast therapy, based on the alternation of hot and cold rituals, has become one of the most valued practices in the fields of wellness and recovery. [more...]

MSpa Oslo series: a timeless bestseller
The MSpa Oslo series is a perennial bestseller in global markets. With innovative engineering and premium performance, this completely portable spa line-up is expertly designed to meet the needs of customers worldwide. [more...]
+ More featured suppliers  
COMPANY PROFILES
Beautylizer

Beautylizer brings its deep aesthetic expertise and strong R&D focus to holistic wellness, offeri [more...]
+ More profiles  
CATALOGUE GALLERY
+ More catalogues  

DIRECTORY
+ More directory  
DIARY

 

23-26 Aug 2026

Elevate Spa Riviera Maya Edition

The Riviera Maya Edition Kanai, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
10-12 Sep 2026

ASEAN Patio Pool Spa Expo 2026

MITEC Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia, Malaysia
+ More diary  
 


ADVERTISE . CONTACT US

Leisure Media
Tel: +44 (0)1462 431385

©Cybertrek 2026

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