Nathan Sawaya of New York, NY is one of three who were offered jobs today as master model builders at LEGOLAND(R) California. Sawaya, Kristi Klein of Los Angeles, CA, and Aaron Sneary of Laurel, MD, were selected out of 27 finalists vying for the job. The selected three have 30 days to start their new job and to join the team of current LEGOLAND master model builders at the 128-acre family theme park in Carlsbad, CA. (PRNewsFoto)

CARLSBAD, Calif., Jan. 23, 2004 -- Getting paid to play with toys at a world famous theme park sounds like a dream job. That dream just came true for three lucky and talented LEGO® lovers. Kristi Klein from Los Angeles, CA, Nathan Sawaya from New York, NY and Aaron Sneary from Laurel, MD have been offered the position of 'LEGOLAND® Master Model Builder.'

Famous for its elaborate recreations of major world cities and realistic likenesses of Hollywood film characters, LEGOLAND California embarked on a three month nationwide search to find its next Master Model Builder. Starting in November in Washington D.C., and culminating in Orange County, CA, LEGOLAND conducted LEGO brick "build-offs" to determine the 27 finalists invited to the final job interview/building competition.

Each finalist was given 4000 standard LEGO bricks, and was allowed to fill an additional bag full of bricks of their choice. Finalists had two hours to build the best LEGOLAND attraction possible using their bricks and their imagination. Park representatives said the level of talent made it clear that one winner would not be enough.

"We saw such amazing talent in these 27 finalists, that it was just too difficult to choose only one to join our team," said Pat DeMaria, supervisor of the Model Shop. "Plus by the way the theme park is expanding, I wouldn't be surprised if we see more of them in the future."

The applicants were asked to design and create a 3-D model resembling a LEGOLAND California attraction. When the dust settled, Klein, Sawaya and Sneary took the competition, and title of LEGOLAND California's three newest Master Model Builders. Their recreations of LEGOLAND objects, demonstrated their overall creativity, three-dimensional visualization and use of the various LEGO® bricks.

Klein will leave her job at a flower shop in Los Angeles to move to Carlsbad and play with toys. Sawaya will leave behind a six-figure salary as an attorney and Sneary will no longer report to his job at John Hopkins University as a Web Designer.

The selected three will have 30 days in which to start their new job and to join the team of six current LEGOLAND Master Model Builders who design, create and maintain the more than 5,000 models in the family theme park in Carlsbad, CA.

LEGOLAND California is a 128-acre family theme park dedicated to families with children between the ages of 2 and 12. Just like with LEGO toys, kids are the ones who make things happen 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 and attractions. There are only three other LEGOLAND parks in the world -- LEGOLAND® Billund in Denmark, LEGOLAND® Windsor outside of London and LEGOLAND® Deutschland near Gunzburg, Germany. For the most current information, log on to www.LEGOLAND.com or call (760) 918-LEGO.