Frisco City Council, Planning and Zoning Commission to Vote on Universal Studios Theme Park Proposal

The Frisco City Council and the Planning and Zoning Commission will vote on a zoning proposal that, if approved, will make room for the Universal Studios theme park.

Universal Studios, which will be built by parent company NBC 5, will be located adjacent to the Dallas North Tollway and Panther Creek Parkway.

The proposed park has been the subject of several public protests and even some resistance from interested residents, including people who live down the street from the area.

Jonathan Hubbard, Head of Frisco Planning and Zoning, spoke at a joint meeting of the Frisco City Council and the Planning and Zoning Commission.

He informed the board members that the theme park was for children aged 3 to 11. Residents say this is an older age group than originally thought.

The theme park will have to comply with city noise and lighting regulations, Hubbard said. Opening hours vary, but the ride can open as early as 8am and close as late as 10pm.

The height limits for the theme park and hotel also differ and may require additional board approval, but may exceed 100 feet or 10 floors.

The city provided a traffic comparison for what is already zoned as a commercial mixed-use residential development and outdoor theme park. According to the city, the theme park is expected to receive 7,000 weekday visitors, compared to 28,000 weekday visitors in high-rise buildings, restaurants and retail spaces. The number of weekend theme park visitors will double.

City officials say HEB and Stonebriar Mall have more weekday traffic than Universal expects.

The current plan calls for construction of the park to begin later this year on what is currently a vacant field on the east side of the Dallas North Toll Road, immediately north of the Panther Creek property. The park is expected to open in 2026.

The proposed project size is 97 acres. This would make the park just under half the size of Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington.

Universal Parks and Resorts, part of NBC 5’s parent company, hasn’t released specific details about the park, but company officials say it will have traditional offerings like rides, shows and food, including meet and greets with characters from Universal properties. movies and shows like Minions or Shrek.

The visualization of the park, which was shown when it was announced in January, showed a lush border with a front entrance overlooking the lagoon. From there, guests can travel in different directions to visit the theme areas of the park.

Content Source

Content and Photo credit go to Texas Standard

Read the full article on Texas Standard News

Related Articles

Back to top button