Universal Studios will build the first European theme park in Bedfordshire, England, Studio officials said Wednesday, previewing an extensive resort that could combine virtual American brands such as “Jurassic Park” with classic British characters such as Paddington Bear. Who and Harry Potter.
Open in 2031, British officials said that the theme park, which would be Britain’s largest tourist attraction. COMCAST executives, the universal parent company, said the 476 -acre complex would include thematic territories, walks, 500 -room rides, shops and dining room.
Keir Starmer, the British prime minister, welcomed the announcement as a boost for his country’s slow economy and an example of his government’s attempt to reduce the bureaucracy he has long made costly and difficult to complete complex projects in Britain.
“Today we closed the deal on a multi -billion -billion investment of the Bedford home in one of the largest entertainment parks in Europe,” Mr Starmer said in a statement, adding that the project would create about 28,000 jobs.
The theme park, which Mr Starmer said it would create about $ 64 billion (£ 50 billion) in revenue for the region by 2055, is a rare bright spot at a time when the British economy has just grown.
But it will be years ago the doors open to the public, as the company transforms what is a naked part of the earth about 35 minutes north of London by train. This delay creates the kind of uncertainty that has sometimes been condemned by the previous efforts of the theme park.
In the late 1980s, London was examined and eventually rejected as a location for the Euro Disneyland theme park that was eventually built outside Paris. In 1994, Disney proposed a “Disney America” near the Manassas National Battle Park near Washington, DC, but left in a strong public reaction from nearby residents and members of Congress.
And a theme park proposed in 2012 called The London Resort was never built after years of delays due to environmental concerns and licenses.
Mr Starmer and his government members highlighted the benefits of the new theme park for people in the area on Wednesday.
Lisa Nandy, secretary of Britain’s culture, called it a “landmark investment” and told the BBC that “this is not just about bringing great American creations to Britain, it is the promotion of great British creations to the world”.
“These are things like James Bond, Paddington Bear. These are things like Harry Potter,” he said. “We have so much to be proud of.”
The success of the project will depend on the attraction of millions of visitors. Studio and governments’ officials were unclear about what the theme park would look like.
The artist’s performance on the company’s website showed various rollers, shopping and other areas around a large lagoon. However, employees refused to be more specific about which movie or television characters may be part of the development.
“It is still too early in the process of knowing the potential of attractions and experiences,” the company said in a statement. “We need to ensure the necessary design approvals. We will confirm the exact details at a later stage.”
Universal’s other theme parks include characters from the film and the studio television library. There are “Jurassic Park” walks in the parks in Singapore, Japan, China and the United States. Some of these parks also have characters from “Shrek”, “Et the Extra-Perrestrial”, “Jaws” and “Back to the Future”.
But a theme park near London could also have characters closer to British imagination. Universal has granted permission to other companies’ characters, including those by Nintendo, Harry Potter and Sesame Street, to be used in walks in its parks. It could do the same with other British brands such as Paddington Bear or Dr. Who.
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