Universal has revealed plans for its first UK theme park in Bedford set to be open 365 days a year round featuring 500 hotel rooms and creating thousands of jobs for Brits.
Universal Destinations & Experiences, owned by Sky’s parent company Comcast, has purchased land near Bedford with grand plans to construct Europe’s largest theme park.
According to an economic impact analysis conducted by Universal, the attraction is projected to generate nearly £50bn of economic benefits for the UK.
The net economic contribution of this potential project to the UK is estimated to be £35.1bn over the construction period and the first 20 years of operation.
An additional £14.1bn is anticipated to be generated in extra taxes for the exchequer over the same timeframe.
The theme park is also expected to create 20,000 jobs while contruction, which could take six years, is taking place.
Once operational, it is predicted to initially create 8,000 new jobs, with numbers expected to increase over time. The company has pledged to pay employees the living wage.
The theme park will be across 500 acres of land located just south of Bedford between Kempston, Wootton, Stewartby and Wixams.
Page Thompson, the company’s president overseeing new ventures, gushed about the ambitious project: “I can tell you it’s going to be a world-class park with all experiences that people will love based upon the most popular films, video games and stories that people have enjoyed for decades.
“We’ve spent the last decade looking all over Europe and the United Kingdom for locations, and we think this is the best location we’ve ever seen.”
Thompson said: “Our phase one plans consist of a theme park, a 500-room hotel and a dining area that people can come to even if they don’t have a theme park ticket,” Mr Thompson shared with Sky News. Over time, I would expect the number of hotels to grow.
“Our intention is that this park would be open 365 days a year, just like all of our other major theme parks.
“We have a whole series of special events, like our Halloween Horror Nights and carnival parties… and it just allows us to attract people throughout this time.”