Frisco officials approved plans for murals for the Universal Kids Resort hotel that will be part of a new theme park in the city.

City Council unanimously approved the plans at its meeting June 17.

The details

The Universal Studios characters featured in the murals include:

• Shrek
• Spongebob Squarepants
• Minions
• Trolls

There will be four mural walls on the hotel, which will include 300 rooms. The company conducted a hotel view study to get an idea of the impact the murals will have on surrounding areas.

It showed the murals will be viewable from future development north of Universal Boulevard and to the Cobb Hill Community on the south side of Panther Creek. Residents in surrounding areas gave input on the potential look of the hotel as Universal Destinations & Experiences officials finalized the details of the theme park and resort.

The background

A Universal Destinations & Experiences representative said at the June 17 meeting that the specific characters for the murals were previously redacted in the hotel plans.

Frisco City Council approved a specific use permit for the project in March 2023. The permit stipulated development standards, which required City Council to review and approve architectural and design elements for the hotel.

The theme park and resort were announced in 2023 and broke ground that year. It is expected to open in 2026.