as ▁branch ▁of ▁Madame ▁T uss aud s ▁was ▁opened ▁in ▁Amsterdam ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 0 . ▁ ▁O wn ership ▁changes ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁Madame ▁T uss aud s ▁was ▁sold ▁to ▁a ▁company ▁in ▁Dub ai , ▁Dub ai ▁International ▁Capital , ▁for ▁£ 8 0 0 m ▁( US $ 1 . 5 bn ). ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁The ▁Black stone ▁Group ▁purchased ▁The ▁T uss aud s ▁Group ▁from ▁then - owner ▁Dub ai ▁International ▁Capital ▁for ▁US $ 1 . 9   b ill ion ; ▁the ▁company ▁was ▁merged ▁with ▁Black stone ' s ▁Mer lin ▁Entertain ments ▁and ▁operation ▁of ▁Madame ▁T uss aud s ▁was ▁taken ▁over ▁by ▁Mer lin . ▁After ▁the ▁T uss aud s ▁ac quisition , ▁Dub ai ▁International ▁Capital ▁gained ▁ 2 0 % ▁of ▁Mer lin ▁Entertainment . ▁The ▁T uss aud s ▁Group ▁as ▁a ▁separate ▁entity ▁ceased ▁to ▁exist . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 7 ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁finan cing ▁for ▁the ▁T uss aud s ▁deal , ▁Mer lin ▁sold ▁the ▁free hold ▁of ▁Madame ▁T uss aud s ▁to ▁private ▁invest or ▁Nick ▁Les lau ▁and ▁his ▁invest ment ▁firm ▁Pr est bury ▁under ▁a ▁sale ▁and ▁le ase back ▁agreement . ▁Although ▁the ▁att raction ▁sites ▁are ▁owned ▁by ▁Pr est bury , ▁they ▁are ▁operated ▁by ▁Mer lin ▁based ▁on ▁a ▁renew able ▁ 3