Theme park gets an assist from area brewery as it prepares to reopen

WINTER HAVEN — LEGOLAND Florida Resort plans to reopen its theme park, water park and hotels on June 1 and will introduce a range of new health and safety measures to help families feel confident and ready to return. 

Some of the initiatives, according to a press release, include enhanced cleaning of all rides and attractions at the Winter Haven tourist destination, as well as the installation of more than 200 hand-sanitizing stations, with sanitizer provided by Clearwater-based Big Storm Brewing Co. 

“Nothing is as important as the health and safety of our guests and employees,” LEGOLAND Florida Resort General Manager Rex Jackson states in the release. “We are continuing to develop and enact an extensive plan for how we work and play in light of COVID-19, including information to our guests in advance of their arrival, new welcoming and attractions procedures and kid-friendly health and safety signage throughout the park."

LEGOLAND, the release states, purchased 120 gallons of hand sanitizer from Big Storm, which shifted its production gears in March to help Florida businesses reopen.

“We’re making the best out of an unprecedented situation by supporting Florida businesses, all while keeping our team on the job,” Big Storm co-owner L.J. Govoni states in the release. “As a small business that’s also faced with the economic impacts of this pandemic, it’s incredibly rewarding to play a role in keeping Floridians healthy and helping our state recover.”

Big Storm, the release states, produces more than 2,000 gallons of liquid hand sanitizer spray each day. Companies and agencies interested in purchasing larger volumes of hand sanitizer can contact the brewery at [email protected].

Mark Jackson, director of Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing, the destination marketing organization for the county, says the reopening of LEGOLAND will be a huge boost to the local economy. 

“The opening of the LEGOLAND Florida Resort means more than tourists coming to Polk County; it means thousands of people will be returning to their jobs,” Jackson writes in a statement emailed to the Business Observer. “Tourism … is a $2.4 billion industry that directly employees more than 21,000 people here in Polk County and the largest and most powerful economic engine we have to get our citizens back to work and the wheels of commerce moving again.”