It’s official. Frisco will soon get its Universal Studios theme park. Frisco City Council voted tonight, March 7, to approve the park.
After a long meeting, the highly anticipated theme park was approved during a special joint city council meeting with the Frisco Planning and Zoning Commission. Planning and Zoning voted unanimously to push the Specific Use Permit (SUP) for Universal Studios to the council’s approval.
The city council, including Mayor Jeff Cheney, voted 4-2 to allow the theme park in Frisco.
“I would have loved to have something like this when my kids were little,” Cheney said. “This will bring other assets to it. The work doesn't end on voting night.”
Council voted to approve the request for the SUP for a 97.4-acre outdoor commercial amusement venue on the northeast corner of Dallas Parkway and Panther Creek Parkway. Thirty acres are dedicated to the theme park area and additional acres will be used for parking and hotel space.
The city council also voted to enter a development agreement among FTNV Corp, the City of Frisco, Texas, the Frisco Economic Development Corporation and the Frisco Community Development Corporation for the park.
“We're very proud of where we’ve gotten to,” SVP External Affairs at Universal John McReynolds said during the meeting. “On behalf of everyone at Universal, thank you.”
The hours for the park were confirmed to be 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. But, actual hours will vary throughout the year based on demand, seasonality, holidays, peak periods and weekends, but the park will never open before 9:00 a.m., except for hotel guests or annual pass holders, for which the opening time may be 8:00 a.m. The park’s closing time will not be later than 9:00 p.m., except for up to twenty days during the calendar year when the park can be permitted to have a closing time of 10:00 p.m. to facilitate holidays and special events.
During the public comment section, several residents voiced their disapproval of the project. One resident felt the park was being rushed into development and did not see how Frisco residents will benefit from the park.
“The people of Frisco are being exploited for money,” one resident said. “We are growing fast enough.”
But some community members asked the council to approve the SUP to bring the theme park to Frisco.
