In a letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the Bedford Borough Council and other local political leaders expressed their support of the potential Universal Studios Great Britain project.
Universal Studios Great Britain Gains New Support
“The project is a unique opportunity to promote the UK as a world-leading visitor destination and place for business investment,” the letter says. “If supported by the UK government, it will showcase our ability to deliver globally significant investment, for the benefit of generations to come.”
News of the possible U.K. Universal theme park broke in December last year. Universal Destinations & Experiences launched a website for the project, confirming they had purchased land in Bedford, England, and were exploring the possibilities. In May, Parliament said they were not committed to responding to the proposal until this summer.
The Bedford leaders tell the Prime Minister that a Universal park would “create a global destination in the heart of our region, attracting millions of tourists,” including from overseas. They add that it would “help bolster the UK’s profile as a leader in the creative industries, a must-see visitor destination, and business investment hub, and will deliver growth.”
They project the park would create 20,000 construction jobs, and an additional 20,000 jobs directly and in the supply chain during operation.
The letter is co-signed by CEOs and leaders of Central Bedfordshire, Luton Borough, Milton Keynes City, North Northamptonshire, and West Northamptonshire. They indicated they are working closely with the Office for Investment; Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS); Department for Transport; and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to “provide a unified approach to the project across all levels of both central and local government.” The DCMS is currently finalizing a business case.
We will continue working with Universal Destinations & Experiences to maximise the benefit to our local communities and provide our unequivocal support to you in ensuring this investment is secured for the benefit of residents, visitors, and our whole community.
Bedford leaders to Prime Minister Keir Starmer
Bedford Borough Mayor Tom Wootton said in a statement, “We want to show our unwavering support and commitment to working with Universal Destinations & Experiences to maximize the benefits for local communities. This investment represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to secure transformational economic growth and development for the region.”
A Universal spokesperson said, “We continue to be very appreciative of the broad support for the potential project.”
Page Thompson, President of New Ventures, Universal Destinations & Experiences, said, “A world-class theme park and resort from Universal has the potential to generate billions in economic benefit for the UK, by creating thousands of high-quality jobs and attracting millions of new visitors to the country.”
Read the full letter.
Source: Bedford Independent
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