ORLANDO, Fla. – A proposed 12-story hotel with 415 rooms could be coming to Universal Boulevard, adding to the development taking place near Universal Orlando Resort and its newest theme park, Epic Universe.
The proposal is expected to go before the city of Orlando for consideration. The project would be built on more than five acres of land, a few miles from both Epic Universe and Universal Studios.
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Plans call for a hotel with a restaurant, coffee shop and a two-level parking garage with more than 200 spaces.
Dave Buckalew, president and owner of Orlando-based Buckalew Hospitality, said there continues to be demand for hotels near the area’s major attractions and the Orange County Convention Center.
“There is room for more hotels, especially closer to both the attractions and the convention center. There can never be too many,” Buckalew said.
The proposal comes as Universal continues to expand its theme park offerings.
Just days ago, Universal announced plans for a new Monsters-inspired roller coaster coming to Dark Universe, one of the themed lands at Epic Universe.
Buckalew said new attractions give visitors additional reasons to return to the destination.
“Adding a new roller coaster is a great reason to come back and experience it again,” he said. “I think it will draw people in and maybe people who were holding off have a whole new reason to visit.”
However, the hotel proposal still faces several hurdles.
More than two acres of wetlands on the property could be affected by the development. The developer would need to purchase mitigation credits to address the potential impact.
Sewer capacity is also a concern. The city previously raised questions about whether the property could support development, making the issue a key part of the proposal’s review.
The developer is expected to address those concerns during a meeting with the city.
Even if the city approves the request, construction would not be able to begin immediately. The developer would still need to obtain the required engineering and building permits before moving forward.
For now, the proposed hotel remains in the review process as development continues around one of Central Florida’s fastest-growing tourism destinations.
