Google Sets It "Sites" on Universal Studios Hollywood as the Entertainment Capital of L.A. Readies for its Close-Up on Google Maps "Street View" Blooloop

Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal CityWalk will have a new on-line presence when the theme park entertainment destination is photographed for inclusion on “Street Views, ” Google Maps online mapping site, enabling The Entertainment Capital of L.A. to be “walked” virtually anywhere in the world over.

The innovative project will be accomplished via a specially-developed bicycle affixed with a sophisticated 360-degree, multi-lens spherical camera designed to take digital photographs in every direction as it carefully maneuvers the complex terrain of the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park during busy park hours.

GPS and other Geospatial data are collected simultaneously with the photographic imagery and integrated into Google Maps, combining with its other features such as satellite and terrain views to give an immersive interactive experience.

Google launched Street View in May 2007 with just five cities and has since expanded to cover over 200 cities across the U.S. and in eight countries. Google now features Street View for popular destinations worldwide.

Universal Studios Hollywood (UniversalStudiosHollywood.com), The Entertainment Capital of L.A., includes a movie-based theme park and Studio Tour, the CityWalk entertainment, shopping and dining complex, the Universal Cinemas and the Gibson Amphitheatre concert and special event venue. The theme park features the groundbreaking attractions “The Simpsons Ride, ” “Revenge of the Mummy—The Ride, ” “Shrek 4-D, ” “Jurassic Park—The Ride” and the world-renowned Studio Tour, which takes guests behind-the-scenes of such landmark TV and movie locations and sets as Steven Spielberg’s “War of the Worlds” and “Desperate Housewives.” Universal CityWalk features 65 entertainment-themed restaurants, nightclubs, shops and dynamic entertainment options. The Universal CityWalk Cinemas, which includes California’s largest IMAX venue, features the best movie-going experience in Los Angeles.

Universal Studios Hollywood is a unit of Universal Parks & Resorts, a division of Universal Studios, a part of NBC Universal. NBC Universal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May of 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80% owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by Vivendi Universal.