Frisco - December 2023

Development

BY SAMANTHA DOUTY & ALEX REECE

Universal breaks ground, announces ocial theme park name

Ground broke on the Universal Kids Resort in Frisco in early November. Theme park ocials announced the groundbreak- ing and the theme park’s ocial name—Universal Kids Resort—during a Dec. 1 press conference. “[Universal Kids Resort is] going to grow into being the very essence of growing up and living in Frisco,” Mayor Je Cheney said. During the press conference, Cheney said the road leading to the theme park will be called Universal Parkway. The details Universal Kids Resort is the rst of its kind for the Universal brand. The park will be catered toward young children and their families, Universal Creative President Molly Murphy said. The park will feature characters from Universal properties, but the specic characters have not been announced at this time. The park will include family attractions, shows,

character meet and greets, and a 300-room hotel. Diving in deeper Since construction has started, the project will create 2,500 construction jobs with more slated once the attraction opens, Murphy said. “It’s exciting for our business community because there’s a number of ways that they can engage with Universal, and Universal has been such a fantastic partner, and making sure they’re plugging in with the local business community and the residents,” said Christal Howard, Frisco Chamber of Commerce president and CEO. Looking ahead The theme park will be nestled on 97.4 acres of land, and city ocials said in January the park is set to open in June 2026, although Universal ocials could not conrm that date. The initial announcement of Universal coming to the Frisco Fields development was made in January.

UNT President Neal Smatresk poses with the new Universal Parkway sign at a Dec. 1 press conference at UNT at Frisco.

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