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Dinosaur World, 6 other attractions vie for Nickelodeon award

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The attraction marked its 10th anniversary last fall has more than 150 "dinosaurs," including the highly visible orange Tyrannosaurus, 40 feet tall and 70 feet long.

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By GEORGE WILKENS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 14, 2009

Updated: 05/14/2009 04:25 pm

PLANT CITY - Seven area attractions, including Dinosaur World, an Interstate 4 landmark known for its eye-catching dinosaur replicas, are "tourist stop" nominees in the 2009 Nickelodeon's Parents' Picks Awards, an online resource for families.

The attraction that marked its 10th anniversary last fall has more than 150 "dinosaurs," including the highly visible orange Tyrannosaurus, 40 feet tall and 70 feet long.

The other area nominees include Busch Gardens, The Florida Aquarium and Lowry Park Zoo, all in Tampa; The Pier and The Pier Aquarium, both in St. Petersburg; and Cypress Gardens, Winter Haven.
The Internet poll will indentify winners in 52 major metropolitan areas in numerous categories, including best children's museum, best toy store and best family restaurant.

Users can vote for nominees online through July 15: www.nicksparentspicks.com. Winners will be announced Aug. 17.

Most Parent' Picks nominees are chosen based on parent reviews and ratings, according to Nickelodeon, a 30-year-old entertainment brand for kids that includes its top-rated TV network, seen in 98 million U.S. households.

Dinosaur World's marketing director said news of the attraction's nomination came as a surprise in a recent e-mail from Nickelodeon. The attraction is near the I-4 and Branch Forbes Road interchange, west of the city limits.

"We're happy to be in there with some of the bigger attractions; we're a smaller, but quality family attraction with lower admission prices," Nicole Randall said. "What's great is you get instant name recognition with Nickelodeon," plus the great benefits of online marketing, she said.

Reporter George Wilkens can be reached at (813) 627-4769.

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