Universal Studios Dubai
Views: 296,159 Subscribe

This is what I found when I was looking on their website:
http://www.dubailand.ae/leisure-and-entertainments.aspx

Looks like they got pretty far with it, the whole structure seems to be engraved in the desert. Would be great to see Universal Studios coming alive in Dubai, after all these property downturn years. I think now is the time to get it restarted!

Here's pics taken many years ago... Universal was abandoned for half a year or so already... You can see the digging for the would-be-lake in the last four pics! Wonder if they'd continue on this location assuming that it ever gets a green light again

Comcast gained control of the Universal parks last year when it paid $13.75 billion to General Electric for 51 percent of NBCUniversal. Comcast quickly doubled down on the business, spending $1 billion to buy a stake in Universal Orlando owned by the Blackstone Group. G.E. and Blackstone were both more interested in wringing cash from the parks than expanding them; selling them entirely was regularly on the table.

But Comcast is different. “We’re really feeling the love,” said Mr. Williams, Universal’s chief.

Comcast has increased spending on the parks — by how much it won’t say — and is betting on strong international growth. Universal announced a deal in April to open a park in Moscow by the end of the decade. The company, which opened a park in Singapore two years ago, also has resorts in the works in South Korea and Dubai; it is pursuing a deal in China.

Source:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/21/business/universal-armed-with-cash-from-comcast-takes-aim-at-disney.html?pagewanted=2

@Stef, in fact they got a new site. And according to it, Universal Studios is one of the few projects that are still alive. Hooray!

http://www.thethemeparkguy.com/board/dubailand/

Universal Studios is now listed as one of two future theme park projects on the Dubailand webpage

http://www.dubailand.ae/leisure-and-entertainments.aspx

Don't know whether this is new, but thought it was worth mentioning.

The 'latest' news, but has anything happened on the ground since then?

Universal, Legoland at Dubailand... for now

Tatweer Parks says it is not actively pursuing other theme parks
By Parag Deulgaonkar

Published Thursday, May 19, 2011

Tatweer Parks, a subsidiary of Dubai Holding, is currently in talks with Universal Studios and Merlin Entertainments Group for theme parks in Dubailand and not actively pursuing any other venture, Emirates 24/7 can reveal.

“Tatweer Parks continue to work with Universal to develop a world class theme park in Dubai on line with market demand. Specific dates will be announced nearer to the time of opening and when agreed with Universal,” the company said in an emailed statement.

“Similarly Legoland forms an important part of this strategy and we continue to work with them.”

The company mentioned it was not actively pursuing other parks at the moment given the market conditions, asserting, “theme parks remained an integral vision for the future development of Dubailand and Dubai’s continued growth as a tourism hub.”

This means major theme park projects announced by Dreamworks, Six Flags, Marvel and Tatweer’s Freej Dubailand would not go forward.

According to Dubailand website, the venture is estimated at Dh235 billion and covers an area of three billion square feet. It has seven themes: theme parks, culture & art, science & planetariums, sports & sports academies, wellbeing & health, shopping & retail and resorts & hotels.

In 2007, Tatweer, a member of Dubai Holding, and Universal Studios announced plans for Dh8-billion theme park project in Dubailand. The first phase of which was expected to be completed by 2010.

In 2008, Merlin Entertainments Group, the world's second largest visitor attraction operator, announced plans to create Dh912 million Legoland Dubailand. The three million square-foot project was due for completion at the end of 2011.

Earlier this month, Dubai Properties Group Chief Executive Officer Khalid Al Malik told this website that it was committed to the Dubailand
project and was providing infrastructure in accordance to the contract with the developers. He had called upon the developers to fulfill their part of the commitment and build the entertainment components of their projects.

Source:
http://www.emirates247.com/property/universal-legoland-at-dubailand-for-now-2011-05-19-1.394403

Official website:
http://universalstudiosdubailand.com/

The construction site seems dead:

Universal Studios revival?

http://www.themeparktourist.com/news/20110524/3908/dubailand-developer-looks-revive-universal-studios-and-legoland-projects

Status: on hold