WINTER HAVEN - The new owner of Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven reportedly plans to turn the venerable Florida theme park known for its water ski shows and Southern belles into a new Legoland.

An e-mail leaked Wednesday from a Polk County tourism official to county commissioners says the United Kingdom-based Merlin Entertainments Group will transform Cypress Gardens into Legoland Florida. The company plans a news conference Thursday with Gov. Charlie Crist.

Merlin operates 59 attractions, six hotels and two holiday villages, according to a company statement. Its holdings include Legoland, a theme park based on the toy, which has locations in Carlsbad, Calif., the United Kingdom, Germany and Denmark. It also operates attractions that include Madame Tussauds wax museums and a chain of aquariums called Sea Life.

A spokeswoman from Merlin Entertainments Group last week confirmed the acquisition of the park but offered no details on the company's plans.

Land records indicate Merlin paid around $22.3 million for Cypress Gardens, according to the Polk County Property Appraiser's Office.

Land South, the previous owner, shut down the water park and gardens in September, saying the park was not economically viable.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.