Only one month earlier than it’s set to open its highly-anticipated Epic Universe enlargement in Orlando, Common Locations & Experiences introduced as we speak that it’ll proceed with previously-teased plans to construct a brand new theme park in the UK.
In June of final 12 months, UDX introduced it was finishing up feasibility and due diligence research and was set to make a closing determination on the mission by the top of this 12 months. As we speak’s announcement is the results of that course of.
The UK mission is topic to securing planning approval. A proposal alongside these strains can be submitted to UK Authorities within the months forward with a projected development begin date in 2026.
The theme park unit of Comcast subsidiary NBCUniversal introduced in December 2023 that it had acquired the 476-acre web site for a proposed new UK location exterior the city of Bedford, some 60 miles northwest of London. See map beneath.
“It is a particular and historic milestone second for our firm as we proceed to speed up the expansion trajectory of our theme parks enterprise and delight audiences all over the world,” stated Mike Cavanagh, President of Comcast Company. “The unparalleled storytelling and technological innovation that the unbelievable crew at Common Locations & Experiences brings to life is an ideal complement to the British artistic arts and tourism industries.”
The mission is anticipated to ship £50B of direct and oblique profit within the UK, which interprets to simply shy of $64B. That features 20,000 development jobs over the following few years in addition to 8,000 posts as soon as the positioning was operational. See reality sheet beneath.
The proposed plans embrace an leisure resort complicated with the aforementioned theme park — together with a number of themed lands. The plans additionally characteristic a 500-room lodge and a retail, eating and leisure complicated. It will likely be the primary Common-branded theme park within the UK and Europe.
“Bringing the Common model to the UK is one other thrilling step ahead in producing future progress,” stated Mark Woodbury, Chairman and CEO of Common Locations & Experiences. “Increasing into Europe presents us with a big alternative to achieve new followers and share the unbelievable experiences our crew creates.”
