As previously reported by Local Profile, Frisco’s plan for a new Universal theme park stirred concerns among its residents. Following a town-hall-style meeting held on Jan. 11 at Trent Middle School after the announcement, on Saturday the Frisco Chamber of Commerce organized a meeting to address the concerns raised by residents.
Some of the most pressing issues for neighbors of the area where the 97-acre park is planned to be located have to do with the extra traffic brought on by travelers and tourists drawn by the new hotel and attraction.
"It's really about educating the public on what this project is and, more importantly, what it isn't," Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney told WFAA at the meeting.
According to the mayor, the project has some misperceptions and hopes these meetings will help put these concerns at ease. Previously during a City Council meeting held on Jan. 17 Mayor Cheney brought up an estimation that explained that the traffic at the new park would be less than H-E-B, Costco and similar developments the city has brought in, something that he mentioned again on the Saturday meet and greet.
According to the city, Universal’s proposed traffic count only makes up for 20% of what was predicted for the site, comparing it to having a Costco.
Additionally, the Dallas North Tollway is scheduled to undergo construction for an expansion in 2025, which would take away some of the traffic from the neighborhood streets.
Another concern brought up by residents was an increase in crime rates, but the city explained that crime is likely to be a minor issue due to the park being kid-oriented versus adult-friendly theme parks.
As previously reported by Local Profile, Universal’s parks are normally family-oriented, as well as adult-friendly, Cheney said, but the Frisco park will be targeted at young children from ages approximately 4-12, “which wouldn’t bear that same fruit as far as crime goes.”
"This is actually a much less dense project than what it is zoned for," Cheney said. "When we first heard the project, we were apprehensive and we had a lot of concerns, and turned to excitement.”
