THE group behind Madame Tussauds and Alton Towers, Merlin Entertainments, is expanding on two overseas fronts, with an acquisition in the US and plans to open its first Legoland in Asia.

The company has bought the Underwater Adventures Aquarium in Minneapolis for a sum said to be between $10m (£6.7m) and $20m.

The attraction is situated inside the Mall of America, the biggest shopping centre in the US. Eventually, it will be rebranded as Sea Life, in keeping with the group’s other aquariums.

The deal is the second of its kind this year for the company, following the purchase in May of the London Aquarium, and marks the latest stage of the group’s push into the US.

This weekend, Merlin, which is owned by the American buyout group Blackstone, has also signed a deal to design and run a Legoland theme park in Malaysia.

As part of the agreement, Merlin will own a 20% equity stake in the $200m venue.

The remainder of the equity will be owned by a consortium led by Merlin’s development partner on the project, Iskan-dar Investment.

Nick Varney, Merlin’s chief executive, said that while the group was focusing on growing in the US, Asia was becoming increasingly important.

“Sixty per cent of the world’s population is in that part of the world and it is where long-term economic growth is going to come from.”

He said that the current economic downturn meant the company was feeling “cautious” about the next few months, but Merlin had grown year on year in 2008 and achieved its budget targets.

It is expected to publish its financial results in the spring.

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