Madame Tussauds entity ceased to exist. On 17 July 2007, as part of the financing for the Tussauds deal, Merlin sold the freehold of Madame Tussauds to private investor Nick Leslau and his investment firm Prestbury under a sale and leaseback agreement. Although the attraction sites are owned by Prestbury, they are operated by Merlin based on a renewable 35-year lease. Madame Tussaud's wax museum became a major tourist attraction in London, incorporating (until 2010) the London Planetarium in its west wing and a large animated dark ride, "The Spirit of London", opened in 1993. Today's wax figures at Tussauds include historical
Madame Tussauds New York can practice their best Messi kick in a virtual soccer arena. On May 28, 2015, Madame Tussauds announced the unveiling of award-winning singer-songwriter, Ed Sheeran. The unveiling event, featuring Sheeran himself, took place at Madame Tussauds New York in Times Square and his figure currently resides in the recently renovated Music Experience room. Sheeran worked closely with the Madame Tussauds team who spent hours sitting with the star taking over 250 measurements, identifying exact eye color, and detailing each strand of hair. The figure, which is the first time the star has been immortalized in wax by Madame Tussauds, features