Universal Studios Hollywood expansion
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Source and full article here:
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118056644

The company said Monday that after months of gathering feedback from residents and local officials to its 20-year-plan to update the 391-acre property in Universal City, NBCU will not move forward with a proposed housing project that would have involved the construction of nearly 3,000 homes around the studio backlot.

Instead, the company has revised its Final Environmental Impact Report to grow its studio facilities from 1.24 million square feet to 1.45 million square feet. It also has requested more entitlements from the city to build new rides, attractions and parking facilities at its Universal Studios Hollywood theme park, as well as addtitional retail outlets at Universal CityWalk, and two new 500-room hotels, rather than just one, as was first envisioned.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter park already was factored into existing plans. But the requeste 327,000 square feet at the park -- up from 134,000 square feet -- gives NBU greater flexibility in revamping Universal Studios Hollywood's existing offerings without changing the footprint of the park.

And another Wizarding World of Harry Potter announced for Universal Studios' Osaka theme park:
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118053731

Meyer also spoke briefly about Universal's previously announced plans to add a Wizarding World of Harry Potter — already a huge hit at Universal's Orlando resort — to his company's theme park in Los Angeles. For the first time, he estimated when it might launch, saying "I hope it won't be much more than three years.

Source:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/

Harry Potter is going Hollywood.

"The Wizarding World of Harry Potter," the theme park attraction that has become a huge source of profits for the Universal Orlando Resort, will become a staple of the studio's West Coast park.

At a press conference Tuesday, the studio said it will spend several hundred million dollars to bring the boy magician west.

Also read: Comcast to Buy Blackstone's Stake in Universal's Orlando Parks (Exclusive)

Universal Studios President and COO Ron Meyer, California Governor Jerry Brown and Warner Bros. president of home entertainment Kevin Tsujihara were among those raising a glass of Butterbeer at the announcement.

The attraction is expected to create as many as 1,000 jobs, but could take as long as three years to construct. The original Potter ride was announced in 2007, but didn't open until 2010.

Studio officials did not immediately reveal if all of the rides and features from the Florida park will make the journey westward or if the Los Angeles branch will sport new Hogwarts inspired attractions.

It's easy to see why Universal is so eager to expand. Thanks in no small part to Potter, Universal's theme-park revenue jumped 33 percent from a year ago to $1.49 billion through the first nine months of 2011.

As TheWrap reported exclusively last spring, Comcast paid over $1 billion to buy Blackstone Group’s 50 percent stake to become the full owner of Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure.

The move will also ratchet up the competition with Walt Disney's theme parks. Universal Studio's major rival announced last fall that it will build "Avatar" themed attractions at its properties, with construction beginning in 2013.

Even though Potter's big screen adventures have wrapped up, there's still likely enough magic left in the franchise to compete with James Cameron's blue-skinned aliens.

After all, the final film in the series, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," grossed $1.3 billion worldwide after debuting in theaters last summer.

Source:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/06/idUS49245363920111206

Status: announced