Universal Parks & Resorts’ new year-round horror attraction at AREA15 in Las Vegas is going to be “badass” and will have guests “smiling and screaming”, says AREA15’s CEO Winston Fisher.
In an interview with blooloop, Fisher said the eerie experience is going to be “incredible and standout”. Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights, he adds, is a “30-year concept that has incredible brand awareness… It’s edgy, it’s cool, it’s fun. It’s the right concept to be part of the AREA15 district. It’s exciting,” Fisher says.
On the subject of Halloween Horror Nights, he adds: “It is scary. I love it. It’s art. They’re building these elaborate sets and people are coming out at you. The storytelling is deep, it’s engaging, it’s fun. Everybody is smiling and screaming. That’s what we want.”
The new venue will bring to life Universal’s vast library of classic horror films and characters such as Frankenstein, Dracula, the Mummy and the Wolf Man. It will also be home to attractions based on its modern horror stories through collaborations with filmmakers including Jason Blum, James Wan and Jordan Peele.
Page Thompson, president of new ventures at Universal Parks & Resorts, tells blooloop the decision to open the new attraction is due to a “huge and growing demand for immersive experiences”, particularly horror-themed.
Las Vegas was selected as one of the world’s greatest tourist destinations. Within the city, AREA15 has done “great work” attracting visitors who are very similar to Halloween Horror Nights’ fan base, Thompson adds. AREA15, he says, welcomes 2.4 million visitors every year with “exactly the same demographic” as Halloween Horror Nights. It was a natural fit.
“We have over 30 years of experience finding what works with our audience,” says Thompson, but it’s going to be “exciting” to have a permanent venue to work with. Universal will get the chance to create seasonal experiences in addition to Halloween-themed content. In particular, the company plans to showcase Universal’s recent horror IP.
It will also create new offerings as new films and series are released. Fans of Halloween Horror Nights can expect to see many similar attractions and experiences to those on offer at Universal’s parks during the spooky season. However, Thompson says the team will be looking at the space and working to create new and innovative experiences.
M3GAN’s Las Vegas residency
Thompson spoke warmly about the Halloween Horror Nights enthusiasts and supporters. He referred to a joke that M3GAN, a 2022 horror film and viral sensation directed by Gerard Johnstone, will have a Las Vegas residency. Like the film, the new attraction from Universal is not so much about terrifying guests as providing “horror but with a sense of humour”.
It will be home to immersive and fearsome experiences, frightening F&B spaces, seasonal events and unique merchandise. Located in a 110,000-square-foot space, it will be Universal’s first permanent horror attraction outside of its theme parks. It will also serve as the anchor tenant in a new 20-acre expansion of AREA15, an immersive entertainment district.
Although an opening date is yet to be revealed, Fisher says the AREA15 expansion is due to break ground in the next six months. After that, the tenants will start developing their experiences.
AREA15 as curators of best-in-class
“We are very strategic about working with really strong partners and delivering on what we promise them and then building from there,” says Fisher. “We couldn’t be happier that Universal chose AREA15. And it’s going to drive traffic. Our goal is that everybody who’s in the AREA15 ecosystem prospers. We want everyone to be wildly economically successful.”
“There is going to be so much energy in this space and there will be so much for people to do,” he adds. “We don’t lease, we curate. The goal is to continue to find the right strategic partners that are best-in-class.”
The team at Universal, Fisher says, are “attracted to the profile of the people coming to AREA15”. As for whether Universal will team up with AREA15 on any additional attractions, he adds: “You start with one and good relationships grow, generally speaking. But we’re just excited that they’re here and they’ve been an incredible organization to work with. They’re creative, they’re professional. We’re really honored to work with them.”
Images: AREA15 / Universal
