ORLANDO, Fla. – Universal Orlando on Wednesday announced that work is resuming on Epic Universe, the resort’s fourth park “that will create an entirely new level of theme park entertainment.”
Epic Universe will feature a new theme park, an entertainment center, hotels, shops, restaurants and more and will be located on a 750-acre site that nearly doubles Universal’s total acreage in Central Florida. The new park will be located a few miles from Universal Orlando’s current theme parks in southwest Orange County, south of Sand Lake Road and east of Universal Boulevard.
Work on Epic Universe was halted last July due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The restart will begin immediately but is expected to take several months before reaching full-speed as Universal re-staffs for the project and reassembles its vendor and contractor teams, the resort said in a news release.
Universal said the work on Epic Universe will result in hundreds of jobs within the resort and thousands of jobs across Central Florida. The company said the new theme park will infuse billions of dollars into the Florida economy and create more than 14,000 permanent jobs.
“The restart of construction of Epic Universe is a terrific moment for our employees and for our theme park business in Florida,” said Brian L. Roberts, chairman and CEO of Comcast Corporation. “It is our single-largest investment in the state and represents our enthusiasm for the spectacular park and the economic opportunities it will generate.”
“We are excited to begin work on Epic Universe again and for what this moment means for our industry, our community, our business and our team members,” said Tom Williams, chairman and CEO for Universal Parks & Resorts. “Our confidence in our collective future is as strong as ever.”
“The resumption of the Epic Universe project couldn’t come at a better time,” Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings said. “Our community has so many talented workers who will benefit from this massive project. I am confident it will deliver a huge economic boost to Orange County.”
Universal’s other three parks are: Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and Volcano Bay.
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