NEW YORK – Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR), Nickelodeon, a unit of Viacom International, Inc.’s (NYSE: VIA B) MTV Networks, and Miller Global Properties, LLC, an international real estate investment and development company, today announced an agreement to co-develop a breakthrough new lodging resort brand and concept for travelers seeking fun and adventure, "Nickelodeon Resorts by Marriott," with 20 potential hotels expected to be under construction by 2020.

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ORLANDO, Fla – Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. and Universal Orlando Resort are partnering to create the world’s first fully immersive Harry Potter themed environment based on the bestselling books by J.K. Rowling and blockbuster feature films from Warner Bros. Envisioned as a “theme park within a theme park” and titled “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter,” the new environment will become part of the experience within Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park at the Universal Orlando Resort. (more…)

During an evacuation of the Kali River Rapids ride at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, a platform malfunctioned and caused injury to several riders. Five guests and one Disney employee were injured. The Disney employee was reported to have a bone fracture, other guests had minor injuries such as bruises, cuts and neck and back pain.

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Three people were injured today when two trains collided on Magnum XL.  Two were treated at the first aid center and released, while one was taken to a hospital due to an asthma condition.  

Witnesses report that a train slipped through one of the final block brakes on the ride and rear-ended another train stopped in the next set of block brakes.  The collison occured at a low speed.

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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla., May 25
/PRNewswire/ — NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex today
officially opened Shuttle Launch Experience. Joining Florida Lt.
Governor Jeff Kottkamp and key officials for the attraction’s premiere
were NASA veteran astronauts including Charlie Bolden, Rick Searfoss,
John Young, Robert Crippin, Buzz Aldrin and Al Worden. (more…)

Cedar Point was forced earlier this month to delay the opening of the highly anticipated new coaster for 2007.

The Inline Twist of Maverick was required to be altered and removed to reduce specific forces riders endured during the element.

Today, Cedar Point has announced that Maverick will open this Saturday May 26th, 2007 to the public. As one of the more anticipated coasters of 2007, the design hiatus is finally over.

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SEOUL, South Korea – Universal Studios plans to open a theme park in South Korea, betting that rides and spectacles based on movies such as Spider Man and King Kong will draw in more and more affluent people in Asia’s fourth largest economy.

Becoming the latest Hollywood film studio to expand in Asia’s burgeoning entertainment resort market, Universal Studios said yesterday it would build the South Korean park by 2012, which could be larger than its parks in Hollywood and Japan.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Great Wolf Resorts has confirmed its intention to expand in to the Charlotte, N.C. area even though the exact location has yet to be determined.

The newest Great Wolf Lodge is expected to cost over $100 million and bring an estimated 400 jobs to the area. The resort, the first of its kind in the area, could be built in Concord, the home of Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Company officials have also stated that Fort Mill, S.C. is another possibility for the resort. The official site announcement is months away.

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Conneaut Lake, PA – The announcement, certain to come as bad news to many local observers, was made this morning following a meeting at the park office. Although an anonymous donor had indicated interest in supporting the park on Monday, the support was to be a loan, not a donation, park officials later learned. However, previous decisions had been made to not accept any more start-up loans for the 115-year-old amusement park.

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Frankfort, Ky. – In celebration of National Tourism Week, state and local tourism officials gathered at the Capitol Rotunda in Frankfort to honor one individual from each of the Commonwealth’s nine tourism regions with an award in recognition of his or her contributions to Kentucky’s travel and tourism industry. Warren County resident and businessman Dallas Jones was honored as the Cave Region recipient of the “Unbridled Spirit Hospitality” award.

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