Universal Great Britain

[rob@rar]

Watched @ProjectUniversalUK 's new video. Seems like they took a sample from the big dirt pile and doing a borehole. For those more informed, is it normal to do a borehole on an old industrial site? I assume it's to make sure the ground wasn't contaminated or anything.

Or checking the depth of the water table?

 

[quinnmac000]

Exactly right. Worth remembering that Universal has negotiated the multitude of requirements, legislation, cultural differences and national norms to develop theme parks in Japan, Singapore and China, in addition to California and Florida. To think that they will be defeated by the UK’s way of doing business seems to underestimate the abilities of this global, multibillion dollar company, by a considerable margin. So far they have been given the warmest of welcomes by local and national politicians, and overwhelming support in a public consultation. I don’t think for one moment there are any insurmountable barriers to Universal investing in the UK and making a healthy return on that investment.

SIngapore,Japan, and China are very different as Goldman Sachs actually owned the Japan Park when it was being built and for years until recently....Resort Sentosa Owns Singapore Park, and the Chinese Government has 70% ownership of Universal Studios Beijing. That meant for permitting and allowances and regulatory hurdles Universal didn't really have to deal with them as the owners dealt while Universal focused mainly on design. This would be the first park Universal completely owned while building so this is a new beast in its own right.

 

[rob@rar]

SIngapore,Japan, and China are very different as Goldman Sachs actually owned the Japan Park when it was being built and for years until recently....Resort Sentosa Owns Singapore Park, and the Chinese Government has 70% ownership of Universal Studios Beijing. That meant for permitting and allowances and regulatory hurdles Universal didn't really have to deal with them as the owners dealt while Universal focused mainly on design. This would be the first park Universal completely owned while building so this is a new beast in its own right.

My point is that regulatory hurdles in those countries did not prevent the development of those theme parks, in exactly the same way as regulatory hurdles in the UK won’t stop this theme park being built. Does anyone seriously think that the UK is significantly less attractive for investors than those other countries that Universal has theme parks in? There are billions of £££s of foreign direct investment in the UK every year.

Or do people think that Universal itself doesn’t have the competence to navigate the regulatory framework in the UK? Seriously?? They seem to have done a pretty smart job so far.

I understand erring on the side of caution and not getting hopes up too far in advance of breaking-ground, but let’s root that in reality rather than groundless fears wrapped in an anti-net zero agenda which some sectors of the UK media are endlessly promoting.

 

[Altonsky]

Does China have regulatory hurdles in the same sense?

They’ll happily make hundreds of people homeless so they can build a road and they won’t think twice about it. They build so quickly because labour is cheap, regulations regarding H&S are lax and planning is far easier because they quite frankly do not care about who or what gets in the way.

Obviously there’s other hurdles due to the CCP being the CCP but building isn’t one of them.

I think if you compare the UK to the US then the US is a more attractive place to invest. I’m not saying the UK is completely unattractive because it isn’t we have loads of things going for us, Universal also seem to think so but I think we could greatly improve but what country couldn’t?

Our planning system is a mess, I think most people will agree with that and I’m sure they will overcome it. But they’ll only overcome it because they have the money, knowledge and willpower.

It’s far more difficult for those at the bottom who don’t have those things.

 

[Doug88]

Does China have regulatory hurdles in the same sense?

They’ll happily make hundreds of people homeless so they can build a road and they won’t think twice about it. They build so quickly because labour is cheap, regulations regarding H&S are lax and planning is far easier because they quite frankly do not care about who or what gets in the way.

Obviously there’s other hurdles due to the CCP being the CCP but building isn’t one of them.

I think if you compare the UK to the US then the US is a more attractive place to invest. I’m not saying the UK is completely unattractive because it isn’t we have loads of things going for us, Universal also seem to think so but I think we could greatly improve but what country couldn’t?

Our planning system is a mess, I think most people will agree with that and I’m sure they will overcome it. But they’ll only overcome it because they have the money, knowledge and willpower.

It’s far more difficult for those at the bottom who don’t have those things.

They've also got a strong presence in the country which helps.

 

[Doug88]

I would like to see a Terminator ride especially if it becomes popular with Terminator Zero being released.

 

[rob@rar]

Our planning system is a mess, I think most people will agree with that and I’m sure they will overcome it. But they’ll only overcome it because they have the money, knowledge and willpower.

Sure, that’s my point. They will work with whatever regulations that are in force, as they have done in other countries. One way in which they will do this is by working with central government to largely avoid local planning regulations, easily sidestepping any NIMBYs. I’m simply providing a counterpoint to claims about Universal being unable to proceed because of net-zero issues or that planning regulations are such a mess that it makes the UK impossible to invest in. I think both of those points are just plain wrong.

 

[Doug88]

Sure, that’s my point. They will work with whatever regulations that are in force, as they have done in other countries. One way in which they will do this is by working with central government to largely avoid local planning regulations, easily sidestepping any NIMBYs. I’m simply providing a counterpoint to claims about Universal being unable to proceed because of net-zero issues or that planning regulations are such a mess that it makes the UK impossible to invest in. I think both of those points are just plain wrong.

It doesn't matter where you invest these days because most places are you the same apart from Asia.

 

[bedfordmassive]

Worth noting that every country has red tape - it's frequently a good thing too, you can't have rampant unchecked capitalism concreting over half the country and exterminating rare badgers. Theme parks are and should be transient in the grand sweep of natural history, species should not be.

In this case, they chose UK knowing our regulatory environment which, by and large, is moving towards being slightly more lax than EU counterparts. They had options elsewhere including a theme park in Spain they could take over and redevelop. They chose here which implies to me that we are attractive to foreign investment. At least, we are attractive to this foreign investment.

 

[rob@rar]

Worth noting that every country has red tape - it's frequently a good thing too, you can't have rampant unchecked capitalism concreting over half the country and exterminating rare badgers. Theme parks are and should be transient in the grand sweep of natural history, species should not be.

In this case, they chose UK knowing our regulatory environment which, by and large, is moving towards being slightly more lax than EU counterparts. They had options elsewhere including a theme park in Spain they could take over and redevelop. They chose here which implies to me that we are attractive to foreign investment. At least, we are attractive to this foreign investment.

Indeed. The UK typically sees around 1,000 Foreign Direct Investment projects a year. Each of those projects will have considered the opportunities and restrictions on their rate of return on their investment, and all of them decided that working in the UK was entirely feasible. In cash terms the UK sees billions of £££s of inward FDI every year. In the last 20 years the total for Greenfield FDI (i.e. brand new projects) is £720Bn, with 2022 accounting for £79Bn of that total.

 

[xtpower]

Worth noting that every country has red tape - it's frequently a good thing too, you can't have rampant unchecked capitalism concreting over half the country and exterminating rare badgers. Theme parks are and should be transient in the grand sweep of natural history, species should not be.

In this case, they chose UK knowing our regulatory environment which, by and large, is moving towards being slightly more lax than EU counterparts. They had options elsewhere including a theme park in Spain they could take over and redevelop. They chose here which implies to me that we are attractive to foreign investment. At least, we are attractive to this foreign investment.

I think a benefit of choosing the UK, is that as a country we are far more culturally amenable to Hollywood and Universal as a whole. We're not the French who will have their pompous philosopher's go off on 'capitalist America' trying to ruin their country etc etc or the Spanish who don't seem particularly enthusiastic about a Movie IP Park - Parque Warner Madrid gets around 2-2.2 mill visitors a year.

So not only are we beginning to become more lax than our EU counterparts but our culture is also enthusiastic about Universal and everything that comes with it. The sheer number of Brits who do Orlando and the Parks is indicative of that. While maybe it might be 'cheaper' if Universal just bought PortAventura and revamped it, I doubt they'd be as successful as a ground-up Universal Park in the UK - the cultural differences are stark.

 

[rob@rar]

... - the cultural differences are stark.

Yes, the cultural differences between the USA and the UK are probably slightly smaller than the USA and France (although it always surprises me how massively popular McDonalds is in France). But I think those differences, UK or France, are significantly less than the cultural differences between the USA and Japan, Singapore or China, all of which provide a successful home to a Universal Studios park. There are some things which seem to be universally popular.

 

[bedfordmassive]

It's a side discussion, but McDonalds France is v different to McDonalds USA:

What Makes McDonald's France So Different From McDonald's America - Mashed

You may have heard the old saying: "if you've been to one, you've been to them all." That same concept can apply to McDonald's — at least, in America.

www.mashed.com

 

[xtpower]

Yes, the cultural differences between the USA and the UK are probably slightly smaller than the USA and France (although it always surprises me how massively popular McDonalds is in France). But I think those differences, UK or France, are significantly less than the cultural differences between the USA and Japan, Singapore or China, all of which provide a successful home to a Universal Studios park. There are some things which seem to be universally popular.

I don't know about that, the reaction to Disneyland Paris when it was announced certainly doesn't support the view .

But yea I see your point. I think in the context of Europe, the UK was the best option if all things were equal, certainly from a catchment area, cultural association and in hindsight the welcoming aspect.

 

[rob@rar]

I don't know about that, the reaction to Disneyland Paris when it was announced certainly doesn't support the view .

But yea I see your point. I think in the context of Europe, the UK was the best option if all things were equal, certainly from a catchment area, cultural association and in hindsight the welcoming aspect.

Sure, DLP got a bad press when if first opened, but that was more than 30 years ago. Now it gets 15million+ visitors per year, the majority French, making it the largest single tourist attraction in Europe, massively ahead of everything else. I spend two or three months in France each year and to be honest it doesn’t feel much different to being at home in the UK.

I’ve never been to Singapore or China, but I’ve spent a bit of time in Japan and it’s make-your-head-spin different to the UK or the USA. Despite that massive cultural difference Tokyo Disneyland is wildly popular, so much so that Oriental Land Co has paid for the best Disney park anywhere in the world. As I said, some things are universal…

 

[xtpower]

Good to see the meetings are still ongoing as we wait for the big decision.

 

[Jamesh22]

Ok here is my pitch for the park.

Universal Studios Metropoli Theme Park.

It is as if USF and Epic had a love child.

You enter the park straight on to the central Lagoon like Epic. No "Main Street". At the back is the grand hotel, like Epic. But surrounding the Lagoon are 4 Cityscapes. Hollywood, New York, London and Tokyo.

Each city will have a "Portal" themed to a theater in the back, and also a secondary attraction in the City area.

Hollywood: a typical Universal Hollywood area with the Chinese Theater in the back. The large marquee and giant posters say Jurassic World: Something Something. You enter the theater/portal and pop out in Isla Nublar. A full blown land similar to HTTYD in Epic but instead of the tall skinny mountain you have the Innovation Center with the JWA ride from Beijing inside. There is also a family launch coaster and a flat.

The secondary ride in the Hollywood section would be a Universal based GMR using classic Universal IP like JAWS, BTTF, Psycho, Monsters, etc. themed like the USH tram tour, utilizing the Kong/F&F ride system. Have the shark attack the "tram" like it attacks the tram in Hollywood. Use the 360 tunnel for BTTF.

London: I don't know what the most famous movie theater in London is but that facade/Portal and the marquee would be showing Lord Of The Rings: Something Something. Enter the theater, exit the portal into Middle Earth land. Universal Creative do your thing.

The secondary attraction in London would be a bookshop facade that houses a Paddington ride similar to, but more charming than SLOP Hollywood.

Tokyo: again movie theater/portal showing Mario's and Luigi's Excellent Adventure! (Full blown Nintendo Land)

Secondary attraction would be Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift Coaster!

New York:

(OK here is where I go totally off the rails, but bare with me.)

New York:

Secondary attraction: KONG!

It also uses the Kong/F&F ride system, but uses a lot of the practical effects from Earthquake. You leave the bus stop and round the corner where a practical set shows crumbling buildings, sparking power lines, a broken fire hydrant geyser and just general destruction, as the bus crosses the Roosevelt Bridge you see Kong the first time destroying the city. Leave the bridge into the 360 tunnel where Kong chases you, catches you, looks into the bus for his love, puts you down and turns around and walks off, bus speeds off into the final scene with a screen showing Kong on top of the Empire State Building swatting at planes.

Theater/Portal: Gershwin Theater on Broadway where Wicked has played for 21 years. You enter the theater/portal. Boom, Oz!

Since Potter is off the table, Glinda and Elphaba interactive wands. This is where they would use the Forbidden Journey ride system for Glinda's Bubble E Ticket and a B&M Flyer Flying Monkey coaster would be.

Ok this is just a rough up. Let me know what you think. Would you pay money to go to this park?

Now that's EPIC.

 

[rob@rar]

Good to see the meetings are still ongoing as we wait for the big decision.

I continue us to be impressed that Senior Vice President John McReynolds, Head of External Affairs for Universal Studios, is attending these meetings in person, rather than Zooming from his office in Orlando or sending a more junior member of staff. In addition to the public presentations, he’s been present at meetings with local parish councillors and here with the local MP, which to be honest are pretty low down the list of decision-makers that Universal will need to work with. He’s either clocking up plenty of trans-Atlantic flights or he’s temporarily located in the UK to mange the external affairs work which is being done.

 

[yepthatguy]

I continue us to be impressed that Senior Vice President John McReynolds, Head of External Affairs for Universal Studios, is attending these meetings in person, rather than Zooming from his office in Orlando or sending a more junior member of staff. In addition to the public presentations, he’s been present at meetings with local parish councillors and here with the local MP, which to be honest are pretty low down the list of decision-makers that Universal will need to work with. He’s either clocking up plenty of trans-Atlantic flights or he’s temporarily located in the UK to mange the external affairs work which is being done.

Well there’s plenty of amenities in Bedford and Kempston.

I bet on Friday nights he works his way through our American food chains littered across the town on Uber eats / just eat / deliveroo!

 

[rob@rar]

Well there’s plenty of amenities in Bedford and Kempston.

I bet on Friday nights he works his way through our American food chains littered across the town on Uber eats / just eat / deliveroo!

I think he (or maybe Page Thompson?) joked during one of the public presentations that he’d been enjoying a locally brewed beer at a Bedford pub. I think anyone living locally should make a concerted effort to spend as much time as possible in nearby pubs in case you bump in to him…