Universal Orlando Resort Expansion (Part 1)

[fryoj]

Would it be more likely, or is it even possible, that if Universal really wanted all of the Major Blvd land, they would just go through the City and have them buy the land under eminent domain for the "greater good"? I know thats a slippery legal slope, and I'm not sure if they can do it legally. But if that is possible, you'd think that would be a lot easier than trying to negotiate individually and risking holdouts for ridiculous amounts of money.

 

[Teebin]

Would it be more likely, or is it even possible, that if Universal really wanted all of the Major Blvd land, they would just go through the City and have them buy the land under eminent domain for the "greater good"? I know thats a slippery legal slope, and I'm not sure if they can do it legally. But if that is possible, you'd think that would be a lot easier than trying to negotiate individually and risking holdouts for ridiculous amounts of money.

I would think that would only be possible if Uni acquired 70-80% of the property first... and some piss-ant location was holding out for 15 million for a half an acre.

 

[NJBrandon]

It appeared to be a division of Universal City Partners LLC. All the legal subsidiary crap gives me a headache, but that is the way the game is played, I guess.

Where do you see this?

 

[Teebin]

Where do you see this?

It was a crappy assumption. Please forgive me.

 

[NJBrandon]

So on the topic of expansion, I came across this a couple of months ago but forgot to mention it(maybe somebody else did, I don't know). But it appears that Universal has updated the lease with the UCF Hotel Venture and I found something I thought was interesting.

There is the addition into the lease of an "Adjacent Hotel" and talks about Universal possibly acquiring it?





Here is the document: http://or.occompt.com/recorder/eagl...98.pdf?id=DOC1636S1088.A0&parent=DOC1636S1088

 

[Teebin]

So on the topic of expansion, I came across this a couple of months ago but forgot to mention it(maybe somebody else did, I don't know). But it appears that Universal has updated the lease with the UCF Hotel Venture and I found something I thought was interesting.

UCF Hotel Venture? Pray tell?

 

[NJBrandon]

UCF Hotel Venture? Pray tell?

Universal City Florida Hotel Venture is the subsidiary of Universal City Development Partners that is in charge of all of the on-site hotels. Which is why I found it curious that the lease agreement now includes(as of December 2014) mention of an "Adjacent Hotel" that Universal might be interested in acquiring.

 

[Teebin]

That sounds like Doubletree or the Holiday Inn, doesn't it? What else is adjacent?

 

[NJBrandon]

That sounds like Doubletree or the Holiday Inn, doesn't it? What else is adjacent?

My initial thought was Doubletree. I just don't know why they would acquire it.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

That said, I wonder how much of an impact Cabana Bay has had on the surrounding hotels, like the Doubletree? There must be a dent to their business.

All the UOR area hotels seem to be doing quite well.

 

[Teebin]

My initial thought was Doubletree. I just don't know why they would acquire it.

Because it is a terrible use of land, and because Doubletree cannot offer Universal meet & greets with Minions and Transformers and character breakfasts and gift shops selling Harry Potter robes etc. and early access to ... um... Citywalk. :look:

 

[NJBrandon]

Because it is a terrible use of land, and because Doubletree cannot offer Universal meet & greets with Minions and Transformers and character breakfasts and gift shops selling Harry Potter robes etc. and early access to ... um... Citywalk. :look:

But if they would acquire it, it says in the lease that they would have to offer it to Loews to run it. Would they just turn it into a traditional Loews hotel with no theming? Or would they bulldoze it and build a new one?

 

[Teebin]

But if they would acquire it, it says in the lease that they would have to offer it to Loews to run it. Would they just turn it into a traditional Loews hotel with no theming? Or would they bulldoze it and build a new one?

I dunno. But they have proven that they are nasty ass fast... so maybe a new hotel on a par with Sapphire, all themed and landscaped to the nines.

 

[NJBrandon]

Or they could purchase it, run it as a regular Loews Hotel for a few years until they purchase the rest of that land in that area, then bulldoze it to build a 3rd gate?

No matter what happens, I think it is pretty significant that they have put in writing their intention to acquire the "Adjacent Hotel" which really can't be anything other than the Doubletree.

 

[Teebin]

^ yep. tis interesting.

 

[craigt]

And, not to beat a dead horse, the purchase in question is the upper left corner of my dreamy-dreams outline months back.

Any idea what the status of the plot on the far east of your outlined....i.e. the site of the former Delta Orlando hotel?
That's a huge parcel of land that seems to have sat empty for 15 years now.

I stayed there in Summer '99, interesting just before it closed - wikipedia has it down as closed in '99.

 

[UniversalCityFL]

Oh, the "ADJACENT HOTEL" is described in Exhibit D-3 of the original document. Let's just refer to that [licks finger, thumbs through pages...]




Oh. Intentionally omitted. Nice.

 

[Disneyhead]

The hotel that is adjacent to the UCF Hospitality School is Rosen Shingle Creek. Which would mak a nice Loews Resort.

 

[NJBrandon]

The hotel that is adjacent to the UCF Hospitality School is Rosen Shingle Creek. Which would mak a nice Loews Resort.

That's pretty far away from Universal. And I'm pretty sure that the document is referring to a hotel that is adjacent to Universal itself.

 

[Disneyhead]

That's pretty far away from Universal. And I'm pretty sure that the document is referring to a hotel that is adjacent to Universal itself.

Yeah, I got University of Central Florida and Universal City Florida confused.

Please disregard my previous comment.