On 22 May 2007, The Tussauds Group was taken over by Merlin Entertainments Ltd, which owns other brands such as Sea Life Centres. Besides Chessington, Merlin also purchased Alton Towers, the nearby Thorpe Park, and Madame Tussauds, which made Merlin the second largest entertainment operator in the world in terms of attendance numbers, behind Disney. As Chessington World of Adventures and Thorpe Park are located within 20 miles of each other, Merlin Entertainments has made efforts to market the two parks to different age groups: Thorpe Park caters to teenagers and young adults, while Chessington World of Adventures Resort is for families and people of all ages. In June 2007, the park opened the "Safari Hotel" next to the Chessington Zoo, themed to a safari lodge. 2008 saw the opening of the Chessington Sea Life Centre.