Universal Confirms Plans for a Theme Park in Beijing

BEIJING, China (October 13, 2014) - Universal Studios said on Monday it had sealed an agreement to open a $3.3 billion theme park in Beijing, the culmination of a 13-year effort to enter China's fast-growing entertainment market. U.S. theme park operators are rushing to build in China, which has few high quality parks but where park revenues have been growing rapidly as city dwellers spend more on entertainment and travel.

The Beijing Universal theme park, to be developed with the state firm Beijing Tourism Group Co, will have China-themed attractions in addition to well known ones based on Western brands.

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Tom Williams, chief executive of Universal Parks and Resorts, told a news conference in Beijing that the park would also aim to draw visitors from outside China, while Hollywood director Steven Spielberg said on video that he would be participating in its design. "There is Disneyland in Hong Kong, but there isn't really anything of equivalent quality of a tourist attraction on the mainland yet," said James Roy, associate principle of China Market Research Group. "It has a chance to be very successful."

It will compete against rival Walt Disney Co, which is constructing a $4.4 billion theme park set to be completed next year, as well as a $3.1 billion entertainment complex that DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc and Chinese partners are working to finish by 2016. Both of those parks will be located in Shanghai. Universal declined to comment on an opening date but a local newspaper said the opening was slated for 2019.

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