Universal Great Britain

[Steeb]

Apologies if this is the wrong thread. I’ve just returned from a short break in Spain, went onto the Universal YouTube channel to check out their latest fly throughs for Epic, and its full of Hints and Tips videos in Spanish… anyone else seeing the same?

Yeah they seemed to upload a bunch of them yesterday.

 

[Alicia]

Apologies if this is the wrong thread. I’ve just returned from a short break in Spain, went onto the Universal YouTube channel to check out their latest fly throughs for Epic, and its full of Hints and Tips videos in Spanish… anyone else seeing the same?

I’m always hoping for some GB park announcement news lol but sadly nothing, just these 18 or so videos in Spanish lol.

This happens now and again, I think usually they’re slow to translate and upload Spanish versions of planning videos. And other times, they are videos released alongside in the Spanish version of the official blog posts, which start off as unlisted but then randomly all get set to public at once for some reason.

 

[Doug88]

Apologies if this is the wrong thread. I’ve just returned from a short break in Spain, went onto the Universal YouTube channel to check out their latest fly throughs for Epic, and its full of Hints and Tips videos in Spanish… anyone else seeing the same?

I’m always hoping for some GB park announcement news lol but sadly nothing, just these 18 or so videos in Spanish lol.

Considering Spanish is the most spoken language in the world and they are right next to South America I can see the logic in that.

 

[rob@rar]

Can anyone recall the way in which Universal first gave official confirmation that they were planning to open Epic Universe?

 

[Alicia]

Can anyone recall the way in which Universal first gave official confirmation that they were planning to open Epic Universe?

Press conference on Aug 1, 2019.

 

[rob@rar]

Press conference on Aug 1, 2019.

Thanks. Did Universal provide much information or artwork about their plans for the park at that stage, or was it non-specific beyond their intention to build a world-class theme park?

 

[Alicia]

Thanks. Did Universal provide much information or artwork about their plans for the park at that stage, or was it non-specific beyond their intention to build a world-class theme park?

One piece of concept art, the logo, and recent footage of dirt at the construction site. Vague details.

 

[rob@rar]

One piece of concept art, the logo, and recent footage of dirt at the construction site. Vague details.

Thanks, interesting that even in Orlando where Universal was already a huge presence they still got the Governor, the city mayor and the Comcast CEO to be there in person for the formal announcement of their 3rd (4th? - do we have an official ruling on that?) theme park. I was wondering what sort of announcement they might make for the official go-ahead in Bedford. Having seen that video I'm more inclined to think it will be a bigger deal that I was expecting, which initially I thought it might be quite low-key and with a much bigger PR push closer to opening. But having seen what they did for Epic Universe perhaps we'll see a big event where they confirm their first theme park in Europe, with a strong turnout of politicians and senior Universal executives.

 

[GAcoaster]

Thanks, interesting that even in Orlando where Universal was already a huge presence they still got the Governor, the city mayor and the Comcast CEO to be there in person for the formal announcement of their 3rd (4th? - do we have an official ruling on that?) theme park. I was wondering what sort of announcement they might make for the official go-ahead in Bedford. Having seen that video I'm more inclined to think it will be a bigger deal that I was expecting, which initially I thought it might be quite low-key and with a much bigger PR push closer to opening. But having seen what they did for Epic Universe perhaps we'll see a big event where they confirm their first theme park in Europe, with a strong turnout of politicians and senior Universal executives.

When you announce a multi billion dollar investment politicians all show up so they can brag that they brought it and all the money that it will generate for their constituents. Politicians even brag about funding and projects that they vote against if they think it will make them more popular with voters.

 

[rob@rar]

When you announce a multi billion dollar investment politicians all show up so they can brag that they brought it and all the money that it will generate for their constituents. Politicians even brag about funding and projects that they vote against if they think it will make them more popular with voters.

I’m sure there’ll be plenty of politicians who will be only too pleased to get some of the reflected glory. I’m wondering who Universal would be keen to attend - local MPs I’m sure will be falling over themselves for an invite, but what level of Minister? Junior Minister or Secretary of State, perhaps even the Prime Minister? If you can get a minister and what level of minister it might be tells a lot about how keen the government is to see the project happen.

 

[Chessy]

I wouldn’t be surprised if we hear no formal announcements until next year but I could be wrong. I think they’re probably still discussing how much the government is willing to sign off towards the project in regard to road and rail.

 

[tielo]

It's a dance. First there is courtship, do you want to dance? Then there is passion, the music is great. Then the dance gets wilder and you give a little and take a little. Then you get tired and both get a drink or two and then you get se...I mean a them park.... or not. I think...it just takes time a billions are involved and politicians.

 

[Doug88]

It's a dance. First there is courtship, do you want to dance? Then there is passion, the music is great. Then the dance gets wilder and you give a little and take a little. Then you get tired and both get a drink or two and then you get se...I mean a them park.... or not. I think...it just takes time a billions are involved and politicians.

The worrying part is not the time but the politicians. When have politicians in this country done anything right?

This isn't related but in our country the government has bought land off farmers so they can grow wild flowers!!
We can't make our own food and have to import it at inflated prices.

So if the government has got basics such as food wrong how are they going to get universal studios right?

 

[TheUniC6]

I wouldn’t be surprised if we hear no formal announcements until next year but I could be wrong. I think they’re probably still discussing how much the government is willing to sign off towards the project in regard to road and rail.

They can time any major reveal for UGB shortly after EU opens to really ride the momentum.

 

[rob@rar]

I wouldn’t be surprised if we hear no formal announcements until next year but I could be wrong. I think they’re probably still discussing how much the government is willing to sign off towards the project in regard to road and rail.

I think the next steps in order to get 'shovels in the ground' would include:

• Get broad agreement with the new government on what public investment is needed to ensure Universal's massive investment in the site.
• Do a statutory consultation on the planning application, particularly the environmental impact statement, with statutory bodies, key stakeholders and the public.
• Get parliament to approve the secondary legislation necessary to approve the Special Development Order.
• Continue the design and planning stage for the site.
• Recruit a team in the UK to manage the construction.
• Place contracts with a variety of companies to begin the construction process.

None of that actually requires a public announcement of the kind that @Alicia kindly highlighted in that video. The public announcement is a PR exercise rather than an essential step in the process which must be completed before the project can move to the next stage, so that PR process can happen much later in the process than other steps which must be taken in sequence. It's clear from the EU announcement that some groundwork was already taking place on the site (seen from the amount of levelling and dirt moving which was being done), so we could well see the formal launch of the project well in to 2025 after the groundwork has already commenced. Personally, I'm looking for evidence from the other steps in the process for confidence that the project is going ahead, I think by the time we do get the formal announcement we'll already know for certain that Universal GB is happening.

 

[TheUniC6]

I think the next steps in order to get 'shovels in the ground' would include:

• Get broad agreement with the new government on what public investment is needed to ensure Universal's massive investment in the site.
• Do a statutory consultation on the planning application, particularly the environmental impact statement, with statutory bodies, key stakeholders and the public.
• Get parliament to approve the secondary legislation necessary to approve the Special Development Order.
• Continue the design and planning stage for the site.
• Recruit a team in the UK to manage the construction.
• Place contracts with a variety of companies to begin the construction process.

None of that actually requires a public announcement of the kind that @Alicia kindly highlighted in that video. The public announcement is a PR exercise rather than an essential step in the process which must be completed before the project can move to the next stage, so that PR process can happen much later in the process than other steps which must be taken in sequence. It's clear from the EU announcement that some groundwork was already taking place on the site (seen from the amount of levelling and dirt moving which was being done), so we could well see the formal launch of the project well in to 2025 after the groundwork has already commenced. Personally, I'm looking for evidence from the other steps in the process for confidence that the project is going ahead, I think by the time we do get the formal announcement we'll already know for certain that Universal GB is happening.

Based on from what I have read on the thread, I am extremely confident in the end things will work out and Universal will be able to break ground on UGB.

But I do assume that if by chance the deal with the UK government fell through, Universal probably has some other countries in mind for back up plans.

 

[rob@rar]

Based on from what I have read on the thread, I am extremely confident in the end things will work out and Universal will be able to break ground on UGB.

I'm also extremely confident that the project is continuing as you'd expect it to progress. All the signs we have seen so far indicate that work continues.

I think the general election in the UK will have introduced a delay, but a change of government was widely expected and Universal had already been in touch with the Labour Party in anticipation of them forming the next government (which was going to happen by the end of the year at the latest). So I don't think the end result will change at all. In the grand scheme of things, I doubt that a bit of a delay in 2024 around the government-relations part of the project will impact the park opening date in any way.

 

[cookiex]

I really do hope this goes forward. I'd love to have a Universal park that doesn't require me to travel either across the Atlantic or all of Asia to get to. Would hopefully also give the Merlin parks a reason to actually try with their parks for once (been to Alton, Chessington, and Thorpe and was let down with all of them).

 

[quinnmac000]

With the ongoing activities in the UK causing Comcast to send their employees (Sky specifically) home earlier and have them not come in over the past week, do you think if this continues it will impact their decision to move forward with this park?

 

[Mike2024]

With the ongoing activities in the UK causing Comcast to send their employees (Sky specifically) home earlier and have them not come in over the past week, do you think if this continues it will impact their decision to move forward with this park?

I wondered about that. But unfortunately, riots happen everywhere, including the US. I don't think they will affect Universal's decision. They seemed to have stopped now anyway. Not that I haven't been trying to avoid all news on it.