National Tour Kicks Off Feb. 20 at Art Institutes Campuses Nationwide

CARLSBAD, Calif., Feb. 8, 2006 -- A job search, a competition of creativity and determination and an opportunity of a lifetime ... LEGOLAND® California is searching the nation for the next member of the family theme park's prestigious Model Builder team. In a seven-city tour spanning the country, LEGOLAND is putting thousands of adults up to the challenge. The Art Institutes, a system of 32 education institutions across North America, will be the official host location in each city.

"We recently announced the largest expansion in LEGOLAND California's seven year history. Pirate Shores opens this summer with four new water play attractions. This addition requires incredible minds who can help create the whimsical and charismatic LEGO® models that delight our guests," said Julie Estrada, LEGOLAND spokesperson. "We're combing the nation in search of adults that never gave up their love of designing and building with LEGO bricks."

The current team of Park Model Builders design, build and maintain the more than 15,000 LEGO models that make LEGOLAND California a one-of-a-kind vacation destination. Candidates applying for this dream job are given a 10-pound bucket full of assorted LEGO play materials and have one hour to create a model on the requested theme.

The nationwide search kicks off Feb. 20 at LEGOLAND California then will head to the following Art Institutes locations: The Art Institute of California - Los Angeles, The Art Institute of California - San Francisco, The Art Institute of Phoenix, The Art Institute of New York City, The Art Institute of Dallas, and The Illinois Institute of Art - Chicago. Finalists from each city will be invited to travel to LEGOLAND California to compete against other winners and interview for the coveted spot as the sixth Model Builder.

"We're excited to be working with The Art Institutes as our location hosts for the Model Builder Search. The campuses are expected to be great partners in helping us create high energy interest and excitement around the events," says Estrada.

A special Web site enables applicants to apply on line and gives more details about the sought-after position. LEGOLANDModelBuilder.com will also include personal information about the current Model Builders at LEGOLAND California, including how they got started and what advice they offer hopeful candidates. People will be able to track the Model Builder competition as well on this site and models from every finalist will be posted from each city.

LEGOLAND® California is a 128-acre interactive theme park dedicated to families with children between the ages of two and 12. Just like with LEGO® play materials, kids are the ones who create the action at the Park. They drive, pedal, squirt, climb, jump, stomp, slide, steer, pull, click, push, gallop, laugh, build and program their way through more than 50 rides, shows and attractions. There are three other LEGOLAND Parks in the world - LEGOLAND Billund in Denmark, LEGOLAND Windsor outside of London and LEGOLAND Deutschland near Gunzburg, Germany. The LEGOLAND theme parks are a part of Merlin Entertainments Group. For the most current information, log on to www.LEGOLAND.com or call (760) 918-LEGO.

The Art Institutes system of 32 education institutions located throughout North America, provides an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals. The parent company of The Art Institutes, Education Management Corporation (www.edmc.com) is among the largest providers of private post-secondary education in North America, based on student enrollment and revenue. Student enrollment exceeded 72,000 as of fall 2005. EDMC has 72 primary campus locations in 24 states and two Canadian provinces. EDMC's education institutions offer a broad range of academic programs concentrated in the media arts, design, fashion, culinary arts, behavioral sciences, health sciences, education, information technology and business fields, culminating in the award of associates through doctoral degrees. EDMC has provided career-oriented education for more than 40 years. For more information visit The Art Institutes website at www.artinstitutes.edu/legoland.