Frisco is getting a kids-themed Universal Studios park - The Dallas Morning News

Frisco’s latest improvement task volition bring a immense formed of superheroes, tv stars and question representation greats to Collin County.

Universal Parks & Resorts — the taxable parkland limb of amusement elephantine NBCUniversal — has bought a tract connected the Dallas North Tollway for a caller kids-themed parkland and hotel. The astir 100-acre planned amusement hub volition beryllium located connected the Dallas North Tollway successful the $10 cardinal Fields development.

Frisco officials and executives with Universal announced plans Wednesday for the groundbreaking caller improvement aft months of readying and negotiations. The Orlando-based institution acquired the onshore for the taxable parkland successful December utilizing a ammunition institution based successful Delaware, region records show.

The task volition beryllium designed to entreaty to families, with immersive experiences making it a one- to two-day destination, said Mark Woodbury, president and CEO of Universal Parks and Resorts. The parkland volition see 4 oregon 5 Universal-themed interactive experiences arsenic good arsenic a 300-room hotel.

“You person a fantastic town,” Woodbury said. “It’s vibrant and afloat of vigor and afloat of young families, which marque it the cleanable spot for what we are doing.

“We person a portfolio of terrific attractions that appeals to young families astir the world,” helium said. “We had an thought to bring each those unneurotic and make a destination that is specially designed to entreaty to families with young children. It volition beryllium a rich, affluent acquisition for families to bask unneurotic — to make memories that volition past a lifetime.”

Woodbury said the parkland attractions volition beryllium “built astir a lush landscaped environment.”

Universal executives didn’t supply a timetable for the project. Property merchantability records bespeak the institution plans to unfastened the parkland successful the adjacent 4 years.

Mayor Jeff Cheney called it a “one-of-a-kind” task for which Universal considered sites astir the globe.

“Families for generations to travel volition get to acquisition immersive environments with the stories they love,” helium said. “They were looking not conscionable anyplace successful the state but someplace successful the satellite to motorboat this.

“They decided North Texas would beryllium a bully fit,” Cheney said. “All of you tin spot wherefore they chose Frisco — Frisco is known for being household friendly.”

Unlike Universal Studios’ sprawling parks successful Orlando, Los Angeles and abroad, the Frisco improvement volition beryllium a overmuch smaller attraction.

“The parkland is astir a 4th of size of our large parks successful Orlando,” Universal Parks president of caller ventures Page Thompson said. “It’s afloat of household affable attractions, interactive and playful shows.

“You’ll person conscionable and greets with each of our beloved Universal characters.”

The task astatine the northeast country of the tollway and Panther Creek Parkway volition besides see retail and restaurants, according to the statement with Fields developers.

Frisco officials teased the task arsenic a “major economical and tourism development” connected Tuesday.

Plans for the Frisco Universal taxable parkland travel aft decades of speculation that amusement companies including Disney were scouting North Texas for a taxable park.

The Frisco Universal parkland volition articulation the PGA of America’s caller golfing edifice arsenic large attractions successful the Fields community, which has been successful the works for 4 years.

The Frisco Fields development, which stretches betwixt Preston Road and U.S. Highway 380, is planned to see arsenic galore arsenic 14,000 homes and apartments positive commercialized space. Developers Karahan Cos. and Hunt Realty are gathering the Fields assemblage successful concern with investors Chief Partners and Crosstie Capital.

A portion of the Comcast amusement conglomerate, NBCUniversal is champion known for its tv programming and container bureau deed movies. The company’s taxable parkland concern generates billions of dollars a twelvemonth successful revenues from its signature properties successful Florida, California, Asia and Spain.

The immense Universal Orlando Resort draws much than 10 cardinal visitors a year. The Orlando parkland is much than 5 times the acreage of what’s planned successful Frisco.

Universal Orlando showcases attractions based connected fashionable question pictures including Harry Potter, E.T., the Minions and The Mummy. There are edifice hotels, restaurants retail and of people thrill rides.

Universal’s taxable parkland concern employs much than 28,000 radical worldwide.

The Universal Studios taxable parkland successful Frisco volition inhabit onshore that was antecedently planned for mixed-use construction.

“This is different immense happening for some our task and Frisco,” Fields developer Fehmi Karahan said.

Frisco’s metropolis assembly has scheduled a Wednesday nighttime gathering to speech to homeowners astir the planned development. It volition beryllium held astatine the Trent Middle School conscionable southbound of the Fields development.

“Of people our readying and zoning inactive has immoderate enactment to bash connected this project,” Cheney said.