GALLERY: Universal arrives, community readies for theme park's July opening

Three years after it was announced, Universal Kids Resort is set to open its doors in Frisco on July 1.

The 97-acre site was intentionally designed on a smaller scale for young children and their families in mind, said Dan Cuffe, vice president and general manager of Universal Kids Resort.

It will act as an introduction to the Universal experience, he said.

The theme park has seven lands themed around characters, including the Minions, SpongeBob SquarePants and Shrek, set to take center stage and a hotel to anchor the resort.

“Universal Kids Resort has a distinctive look and feel from our existing parks because it was designed and built specifically for kids,” Cuffe said in an email.

A closer look

Universal officials selected Frisco as the site for the first-of-its-kind park because of the fast-growing area and its growing family base, Cuffe said.

“It’s also a great place to raise a family, making it the ideal place to introduce Universal Kids Resort,” Cuffe said.

The project is expected to attract visitors from across North Texas and beyond, which will also contribute to support the local business community and growth of the area. Visit Frisco’s Executive Director Marla Roe said she expects the park to bring people in from a five-hour radius like Houston, Austin and San Antonio.

Visitors typically book hotel rooms for convenience in Frisco, but Universal’s 300-room hotel will be a destination, Roe said.

“The uniqueness of it, the power of the brand, everything is just going to have a huge impact on us for years and years to come,” she said.

Put in perspective

Frisco’s typical hotel guest is a corporate traveler, but the guest for the Universal hotel is a completely different demographic with a focus on families, which will only strengthen Frisco’s overall hotel market, Roe said.

The added hotel rooms will help Frisco’s inventory, and it will also increase the hotel revenue that goes toward fixing infrastructure.

Some context

Universal is expected to create thousands of jobs. More than 4,100 jobs were created during construction, with more than 85% of those from the local North Texas area, Cuffe said. That is nearly double the 2023 projection of more than 2,500, officials said.

The park currently employs 1,200 parks-based team members in departments like entertainment, merchandise and technical services. That will increase to 1,500 once it opens, Cuffe said.

Beyond jobs, the Universal branding is globally recognized and will diversify Frisco’s economy by attracting other creative industries, said Gloria Salinas, Frisco Economic Development Corp. senior vice president and chief growth officer. She said it will act as a magnet of sorts to other businesses, vendors and entertainment industries.

“It adds to the city’s portfolio that Frisco knows how to do business,” she said.

Salinas said the park will benefit residents by adding to their quality of life and lean into the play part of live, work, play to keep people in Frisco.

Mayor Jeff Cheney said he has already seen the park driving the local housing market. The nearby neighborhood has become one of the fastest-selling in Frisco’s history because young families want to be near the park, he said.

In response to concerns regarding traffic, Universal Parkway was constructed around the park. A new traffic light is being added by the park at the Universal Parkway and Dallas Parkway intersection.

The impact

The park’s contribution to the city’s sales tax revenue could even rival that of Stonebriar Centre, Cheney said.

In addition to the economy, Cheney said he anticipates Universal fully integrating into Frisco. For example, he expects to see the characters visiting local schools and even field trips to the park.

“It’s going to be something that’s really unique about growing up in Frisco,” Cheney said. “It’s going to be kind of a big part of the Frisco DNA going forward.”