SHANGHAI, May 7 (Xinhua) -- LEGOLAND Shanghai Resort, the largest LEGOLAND in the world, will officially open on July 5, announced its operator, Merlin Entertainments, on Wednesday.

"Announcing the grand opening date is a major milestone for LEGOLAND Shanghai Resort," said John Jakobsen, chief strategic portfolio development officer at Merlin Entertainments, adding that the Shanghai resort will "make LEGO possibilities come to life on an epic scale."

Located in Shanghai's Jinshan District, the 318,000-square-meter resort is a LEGO theme park and hotel destination for children aged 2 to 12 and their families.

The resort features over 75 interactive rides, shows and attractions, as well as thousands of LEGO models across eight immersive "lands."

Shanghai is becoming a key investment destination for international theme park operators as they look to capitalize on China's expanding entertainment and travel markets.

The influx of more international brands comes following the success of two big predecessors: Shanghai Disney Resort and Universal Beijing Resort.