Universal Studios will build its first European theme park in Bedfordshire, England, studio officials said Wednesday, previewing a sprawling resort that could combine iconic American brands like “Jurassic Park” with classic British characters like Paddington Bear, Dr. Who and Harry Potter.
Set to open in 2031, British officials said the yet-to-be-named theme park would be Britain’s largest single tourist attraction. Executives at Comcast, Universal’s parent company, said the 476-acre complex would include themed lands, rides, a 500-room hotel, shops and dining.
Keir Starmer, the British prime minister, hailed the announcement as a boost for his country’s sluggish economy and an example of his government’s attempt to cut through the red tape that has long made it costly and difficult to complete complex projects in Britain.
“Today we closed the deal on a multibillion-pound investment that will see Bedford home to one of the biggest entertainment parks in Europe,” Mr. Starmer said in a statement, adding that the project would create around 28,000 jobs.
The theme park, which Mr. Starmer said would generate nearly $64 billion (£50 billion) in revenue for the area by 2055, is a rare bright spot at a moment when the British economy has been barely growing.
But it will be years before the doors open to the public as the company transforms what is a bare piece of land about 35 minutes north of London by train. That delay creates the kind of uncertainty that has sometimes doomed previous theme park efforts.
In the late 1980s, London was considered, and ultimately rejected, as a location for the Euro Disneyland theme park that eventually was constructed outside of Paris. In 1994, Disney proposed a “Disney’s America” near the Manassas National Battlefield Park near Washington, D.C., but backed off amid intense public backlash from nearby residents and members of Congress.
And a theme park proposed in 2012 called The London Resort was never built after years of delays because of environmental concerns and permit issues.
Mr. Starmer and members of his government stressed on Wednesday the benefits of the new theme park for people in the area.
Lisa Nandy, Britain’s culture secretary, called it a “landmark investment” and told the BBC that “this is not just about bringing great American creations to Britain, this is also about showcasing great British creations to the world.”
“These are things like James Bond, Paddington Bear, these are things like Harry Potter,” she said. “We’ve got so much to be proud of.”
The success of the project will hinge on attracting millions of visitors. Studio and government officials were vague about what the theme park would look like.
An artist’s rendering of the park on the company’s website showed several roller coasters, shopping and other areas around a large lagoon. But officials declined to be more specific about what movie or television characters might be part of the development.
“It is still too early in the process to know the possibilities of featured attractions and experiences,” the company said in a statement. “Should we secure the necessary planning approvals, we would confirm the exact details at a later stage.”
Universal’s other theme parks include rides featuring characters from the studio’s own movie and TV library. There are “Jurassic Park” rides at parks in Singapore, Japan, China and the United States. Some of those parks also have rides featuring characters from “Shrek,” “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” “Jaws” and “Back to the Future.”
But a theme park near London could also feature characters closer to the British imagination. Universal has licensed other companies’ characters, including those from Nintendo, Harry Potter and Sesame Street, to use in rides at its parks. It could do the same with other British brands like Paddington Bear or Dr. Who.
