Those waiting for the exciting new additions that would come with a third theme park/fourth park at the Universal Orlando Resort will be waiting a bit longer. Today, Universal announced that the construction on Universal’s Epic Universe has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to MyNews13.
What’s Happening:
- Construction on Universal Orlando Resort’s newest park, Universal’s Epic Universe, has been delayed.
- The new park was originally scheduled to open in 2023 and Universal Executives have not made a statement about a new timeline. However, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings claims executives told him the project would be delayed by a year, putting the new park on track for a 2024 opening.
- Universal Parks & Resorts Chairman Tom Williams updated employees last month saying that not only was construction on Universal’s Epic Universe continuing, but Universal Beijing, and Super Nintendo World in Osaka and Hollywood were continuing construction as well.
- Because of the pandemic, Universal Parks and Resorts are reporting a 32% dip in revenue from the same time last year, earning $869 million this year compared to last year’s $1.3 billion. If the parks stay closed through June, it could result in a half-billion loss for the company.
- Universal’s Epic Universe was announced last August, sharing that there will be more than just a theme park, and that it will also include hotels, shops and restaurants. No specific details about themes, attractions, and offerings have been officially announced, aside from that it will be home to Orlando’s version of Super Nintendo World.
What They’re Saying:
- Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings: “What they said to me was that their overall construction project is going to be delayed by a year. However, they’re going to continue with $300-plus million worth of construction that is really underway at this time. In terms of the impact on our economy, there still would be robust construction activity centered around that development itself.”
- Comcast CEO Brian Roberts: “This is a moment in time; and when it passes, I am very confident that the decisions we are making now will enable us to emerge from this crisis as a healthy, strong company that is well positioned to continue to grow and succeed.”