Simon Announces Opening Of Music-Themed Madame Tussauds Wax Attraction At Opry Mills In Nashville

The Tennessee Shopping Landmark will be First Madame Tussauds Mall Location in U.S.

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Apr 12, 2016, 06:55 ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Simon, a global leader in retail real estate, has announced its Opry Mills property in Nashville will be the home of the incredible Madame Tussauds wax attraction and befitting the 'Music City,' the figures will be of world-famous musicians.

This family-friendly attraction will provide visitors with an interactive experience, where they will be able to touch, see, feel, and photograph figures of their favorite musicians such as Carrie Underwood, Stevie Wonder, and Johnny Cash. In all, nearly 50 figures will debut at Madame Tussauds over the next year. The Opry Mills location will be Madame Tussauds first U.S. mall attraction.

Madame Tussauds Nashville will celebrate the city's and country's iconic figures and music through the theme, 'Soundtrack of America.' Guests will enjoy a historical walk through America's musical past and present with vivid scenes supporting the colorful cast of figures. When it opens in spring 2017, the Tennessee location will be the seventh in the U.S.

"The Mills is committed to providing the best shopping and entertainment experiences for its visitors," said Gregg Goodman, President of The Mills, a Simon Company. "Simon properties are multipurpose entertainment destinations, offering far more than shopping options to guests. Because of this, we know Opry Mills will be the perfect home to the very first in-mall Madame Tussauds location."

"We couldn't be more excited to open the first Madame Tussauds in Tennessee in a little over a year," said Ben Thompson, Senior Marketing Director New Openings and Acquisitions, Merlin Entertainments PLC. "This fun and unique attraction will highlight milestone moments from historical to contemporary music – both from around the country and in Nashville."

"One of the benefits of success is the ability to attract additional offerings," said Butch Spyridon, President and CEO of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. "The arrival of Madame Tussauds further validates Nashville's position as a major destination and is another resource in sustaining our unprecedented momentum."

Madame Tussauds is owned and operated by global leisure giant Merlin Entertainments plc. Other U.S. locations are Hollywood, Las Vegas, New York, Orlando, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. The Nashville location will represent the 22nd Madame Tussauds globally.

About Opry Mills
Opry Mills, the largest outlet and value retail shopping destination in Tennessee, features a great collection of fashion-forward stores, such as Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Store, Coach, Cole Haan, Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH, Forever 21, NIKE Factory Store, Gap Outlet, Lucky Brand Outlet and Bass Pro Shops, as well as the state's first locations from The Limited Outlet and H&M. Shoppers can also enjoy quality dining and entertainment at Rainforest Cafe, Aquarium Restaurant, Dave & Buster's, and Regal Cinemas Opry Mills Stadium 20 and IMAX. Opry Mills' famous Entertainment Stage and Tennessee Treasures play area further enhance the family shopping experience.

Opry Mills is conveniently located 7 miles from downtown Nashville, in Opryland off Briley Parkway at exit 11, and is within walking distance of the Grand Ole Opry and the 2,800-room Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. For more information on Opry Mills, please call (615) 514-1000 or visit www.oprymills.com.

About The Mills, a Simon Company
The Mills^®, one of Simon Property Group's five real estate platforms, offers a unique brand of shopping with a mix of popular name-brand outlets, value retailers and full-price stores, plus family-oriented dining and entertainment concepts. The Mills malls are well-located in major metropolitan markets, and many are recognized as leading tourism destinations. Notable properties include Arundel Mills (Baltimore), Gurnee Mills (Chicago), Grapevine Mills (Dallas), Ontario Mills (Los Angeles), Opry Mills (Nashville), Potomac Mills (Washington, D.C.) and Sawgrass Mills (Ft. Lauderdale/Miami).

About Simon
Simon is a global leader in retail real estate ownership, management and development and an S&P100 company (Simon Property Group, NYSE: SPG). Its industry-leading retail properties and investments across North America, Europe and Asia provide shopping experiences for millions of consumers every day and generate billions in annual retail sales. For more information, visit simon.com.

About Madame Tussauds Nashville
Madame Tussauds Nashville offers guests the unique opportunity to "interact" with incredibly lifelike iconic figures from the celebrity worlds of music. Only at Madame Tussauds Nashville can you "grab hold" of your favorite stars, with our many interactive experiences. The star-studded attraction allows you to take pictures, touch, and get up close and personal in a themed setting. The attraction is open 365 days a year.

About Merlin Entertainments Group – North America
Merlin Entertainments plc is a global leader in location based, family entertainment. Europe's Number 1 and the world's second-largest visitor attraction operator, Merlin now operates over 100 attractions, 12 hotels and 4 holiday villages in 23 countries and across 4 continents. The company aims to deliver memorable experiences to it's more than 60 million visitors worldwide, through its iconic global and local brands, and the commitment and passion of its circa 27,000 employees.

Merlin has twenty six attractions and two hotels in North America - including two stunning LEGOLAND Resorts – LEGOLAND Florida with its theme park, water park and hotel; and LEGOLAND California theme park with water park and the SEA LIFE aquarium and themed hotel; Orlando Eye; Madame Tussauds celebrity wax attractions in New York; Washington DC; Las Vegas; Hollywood; Orlando and San Francisco; LEGOLAND Discovery Centers in Chicago; Dallas/Fort Worth; Kansas City Missouri; Atlanta, Georgia; Boston; Westchester, New York; Toronto, Canada; a Dungeon in San Francisco; and SEA LIFE aquariums in Phoenix, Arizona; Kansas City, Missouri; Michigan; Dallas/Fort Worth; the Mall of America in Minneapolis; Orlando, Florida and Charlotte – Concord, N Carolina - underlining the company's position as the world's biggest global aquarium operator. Visit www.merlinentertainments.biz for more information.