UK ministers are closing in on a deal with entertainment giant Comcast to build a Universal theme park south of Bedford in the UK.
Universal’s proposed UK theme park was confirmed in December 2023 after the company bought a 476-acre parcel of land in Bedfordshire.
The planned site could generate nearly £50 billion for the economy during construction and the first 20 years of operations, according to an economic impact analysis commissioned by Universal Destinations & Experiences.
The Financial Times reports that UK ministers are now close to agreeing terms and securing billions of pounds of investment from Comcast for the new park.
This is according to several people close to the discussions. A deal could be announced as early as next week, the publication reports.
“It’s in its final stages,” said one person involved in the talks, who added that the final terms were still being discussed.
Final terms still being discussed
The planned development of a UK park is known as ‘Project Nectarine’ in the UK government.
In February, Universal Studios applied to trademark its name in the UK, specifically in relation to advertising services; hotels, restaurants, bar and cafe services; and amusement park, theme park and water park services.
In addition, the application covers “entertainment services” and the “presentation of live show performances”. It also covers arcade services and interactive play areas for children and adults.
Via the BBC, a spokesperson for Universal said at the time: “We continue to evaluate the potential project and are engaged in productive discussions with the UK government.”
Page Thompson, president of new ventures at Universal Destinations & Experiences, said last summer: “A world-class theme park and resort from Universal has the potential to generate billions in economic benefit for the UK, by creating thousands of high-quality jobs and attracting millions of new visitors to the country.”
Images courtesy of Universal
