Universal Studios Beijing
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Universal Parks & Resorts and its Chinese partners are expanding plans for a 300-acre theme park in Beijing, doubling their investment to $6.5 billion on heightened optimism about the booming Chinese theme-park market, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The investment would surpass that of Walt Disney Co.’s Shanghai Disney Resort, which at the time of its 2016 launch cost more than $5.5 billion, and would be the most ever spent on a theme park at the time of opening, according to industry experts.

Universal now expects the Beijing park to draw 10 million visitors in its first year, up from an initial projection of 7 million, the person said.

The increased investment will go toward expanding retail and entertainment space, improving planned attractions and building new lands including one based on the Harry Potter books and films, the person said. The park will also have attractions based on the Transformers, Minions and Kung Fu Panda film franchises, which have strong followings in China, a second person said.

Although design work has begun and land has been cleared, major construction hasn’t yet started but is expected to begin this year, people familiar with the matter said. At the time of the 2014 announcement, only a preliminary agreement was in place between the partners, the first person said. The joint venture was established in 2017, after more than three years of talks, that person said, adding to delays.

The park’s launch has been further hindered by struggles to hire and retain talent, according to comments made by Universal executives at an industry panel in Beijing last month, according to a person who attended.

The executives said employee turnover in Beijing was about 35%, the person said. Critical roles such as art direction, engineering, design, procurement and architecture have been a challenge to fill, people familiar with the matter said.

Sources: https://www.wsj.com/articles/bigger-than-disney-universal-beijing-parks-construction-budget-doubles-1525687376 and https://m.weibo.cn/5881979607/4237170308582479

Originally Posted by Guest

So I have seen the actual model created by Universal Creative this is going to be a big park. I can't say much (Several NDAs) but i may be able to answer some questions. the images posted by Michael are a good indicator of what will be in the park.

And since people will ask the company I work for did some design work for parts of the park and has copies of the park construction.

Thank you for the verification. I have two questions that you might be able to answer:

1. Do you know if a waterpark is part of the plan or is that not until phase 2?
2. So far the lands seem to be Transformers, Jurassic World, Wizarding World - Hogsmeade, Waterworld, and Kung Fu Panda - so that’s five themed areas of the park. Do you know in total how many themed areas the park will have?

So I have seen the actual model created by Universal Creative this is going to be a big park. I can't say much (Several NDAs) but i may be able to answer some questions. the images posted by Michael are a good indicator of what will be in the park.

And since people will ask the company I work for did some design work for parts of the park and has copies of the park construction.

Universal Beijing is "in the stage of large-scale development and large-scale construction."



Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/LFcGPYLz0YELO28HYpOd7A

Construction is progressing on the new transit station and surrounding facilities for Universal Beijing. This complex will be the gateway for many guests entering Universal Beijing Resort. The station will lead to CityWalk which guests can walk through to get to the theme parks, waterpark and hotels. Pictured is the red area on the map in the second image. The adjacent yellow area is CityWalk. Note the pedestrian bridge connecting CityWalk to the two parking garages across the street, which is exactly like Universal Orlando.

In regards to the theme park specifically, additional construction tenders have been submitted recently for "amusement rides" and the theme park's "technical service buildings." The planned duration of these tenders on average is about 815 days meaning that construction is expected to take place now through Summer 2020, with a potential opening in late Fall 2020.















Sources: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/fmsvBGSuDxTKqblhsQky9Q and http://www.bcactc.com/home/gcxx/sgzbgg_new_show.aspx?ggid=F0SG201800179&publicsource=1 and http://www.bcactc.com/home/gcxx/sgzbgg_new_show.aspx?ggid=F0SG201800178&publicsource=1

The latest plan is for phase 1 to be "complete" in November 2020.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/MFPBSOvW2XqufGNWYEIWeA

Yesterday Universal Beijing submitted construction tenders to build "12 amusement facilities" at the theme park. These tenders include construction on the main structure, building decoration, roofing, building water supply and drainage, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, electrical, and elevators. Groundwork of the site has been completed and I can confirm based on satellite imagery from February 2018 that work on the foundation for multiple ride buildings has already begun including Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. I am unable to identify what rides the other buildings will house.

Sources: https://kuaibao.qq.com/s/20180403A19DXG00 and http://www.bidcenter.com.cn/news-48762052-1.html and http://zb.zhaobiao.cn/bidding_v_26654098.html and https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/6VHDWt64K8j4jwvRYmvSkA

More general construction news from the overall project.

1. The re-routing of the rivers and the creation of a new riverside park will act as a tourist zone around the theme park as well as providing the water features inside the park. The red dotted area is Universal Studios as far as I can make out from the map and descriptions.

The landscape improvement project is expected to reach the completion acceptance condition in September, which will not only increase Xiaohe River's flood control standards, provide flood protection security for Universal Studios, but also provide a new landscape for the public to enjoy water and leisure.

After planning and designing, this river channel will serve as the landscape water body within Universal Studios

Source: http://www.takefoto.cn/viewnews-1379818.html

2. There has been some backlash from the villagers who were relocated from the area in 2013 and are yet to have their new houses completed. These relocated villages will sit around the perimeter of the new park. Those villages were meant to be completed by 2015 and whilst some have been, many are still living in temporary accomocation.

At present, the land required for the Universal Studios theme park project has been demolished and retired. The surrounding area has been enclosed by a wall. A part of the land is under construction and most of the land is covered with green gauze.

According to the official from Liyuan Town mentioned above, Sunzhuang Village in Liyuan Town also adopted a village collective self-built resettlement housing. “It was also built and was stopped. In this (Universal Studios Theme Park) project, our town should be based on these two villages. It seems that Zhangjiawan Town also has a village villager who has not moved back and resettled, and most of them have completed resettlement by the end of 2015."

Source: https://www.jiemian.com/article/1739968.html

Photo of the site from earlier this month:



Source: https://www.sohu.com/a/220234934_100014700

New photos of the site from the night of January 16, 2018















Source: http://www.sohu.com/a/217159454_100014700