Sesame Street Construction Begins

I've just come back from my first day in school to stumble into this on Screamscape:

2010 - Sesame Street Land and 4D Theater - Rumor - (8/24/09) A construction update from Busch Gardens Tampa is now showing off the first stages of construction to transform Land of the Dragons into a new Sesame Street themed area. Check it out over at RCPro.

Well, you heard it right, Sesame Street construction begins! It began three days ago. Now I think it is safe to say that Land of the Dragons will not be open by the time I go to Busch Gardens this Thanksgiving. Here is an overview of the Sesame Street timeline:

Rumors began to rise on August 28, 2006 that the Sesame Street 4D film from Universal Studios Japan will appear at Busch Gardens Africa in 2008. Rumors were put on hold for 17 months, until January 22, 2008 when rumors advanced that Timbuktu would be given a Sesame Street overhaul. The rumors were again put on hold for a year. On January 5, 2009, an employee meeting took place and plans were made for the Sesame Street land. It was no longer Timbuktu that gets affected by the Sesame Street land, but it was now the kiddie area Land of the Dragons that would get the axe. It would close by the end of 2009 and Sesame Street would debut in 2010. On April 2, 2009, rumors advanced saying that the new land would include a kiddie coaster and a water play area. On June 12, 2009, rumors were put to rest, when a construction permit has been filed which mentions putting up 4 buildings, a roller coaster, and some site demolition. On June 23, 2009, a news station reports that an announcement will take place later this summer. Now on August 21, 2009, construction has begun.