Lawsuit heats up rumors about new theme park
Universal has made its most specific references yet to a new theme park in Orlando, according to documents filed in a lawsuit that a key attorney said was settled Wednesday.
The lawsuit concerned hundreds of acres that Universal acquired in 2015. A former owner of the property, Georgia businessman Stan Thomas sued Universal, arguing that he still owns the rights to enforce private deed restrictions there, which included a ban on theme parks.
Universal said it wouldn’t disclose its plans for the property, adding this is “… not a case that has any relevance to figuring out what we’re doing behind the scenes regarding the plans for a theme park, which is obviously super, super secret commercial information.”
An attorney for Thomas, Allison Turnbull, confirmed the suit had settled, but declined to provide details. “We’re very pleased that the parties have amicably resolved this matter,” she said.
Universal argued that Thomas no longer has any right to reject a theme park because he didn’t speak up until the lawsuit was filed in October 2016; he responded that didn’t mean he was allowing the “construction of a theme park on the property through silence.”
Universal could argue that the lawsuit was only about the right to build a theme park, and not about any specific plan for one. The company hasn’t responded to multiple requests for more details.
On Wednesday, Universal’s lead attorney in the case, Michael J. Beaudine, told the judge that “two large theme parks” could be developed on the SLRC-owned land, according to a report in GrowthSpotter.
Rumors about the property have ripped through the Orlando tourism industry for years, including a widespread belief that Universal is negotiating with Orange County regarding further permits, roads and other infrastructure.
In response to requests for more information from the county, spokeswoman Doreen Overstreet said the county could not talk about any specific plan there, whether one was filed or not, and cited state law that exempts public disclosure of large developments where competitive bidding could occur. That statute specifically mentions plans for large-scale theme parks.
Meanwhile, a local media report is reviving the idea that Universal Orlando plans to build Nintendo-inspired attractions in a new theme park, as well as put a Pokemon attraction inside the existing Universal Studios theme park.
WFTV, citing anonymous sources and a Theme Park University blogger, said Pokemon is planned for the KidZone section of Universal Studios, with Mario Kart and Donkey Kong rides going to the new park. A Universal Orlando spokesman said Wednesday that the company never comments on rumor or speculation.
Most attractions are years in the making. Universal Parks and Resorts and Nintendo entered the agreement to create theme park attractions in May 2015. And in November 2016, NBCUniversal said it would build Nintendo lands in parks in Orlando, California and Japan in the coming years.
“We’re going to be able to create an entire Nintendo world,” Universal Creative President Mark Woodbury said then.
At this point, plans would be fluid, said Dennis Speigel, presidents of International Theme Park Services.
“Something is afoot for sure, but I don’t think we understand the scope and the presence it’s going to take with that additional property,” he said. “They’re really keeping it under wraps.”
He said he would not be surprised by Nintendo attractions in multiple Universal Orlando locations.
“I think they’re trying to connect their points. I would be surprised, frankly, if it didn’t do that, join both parks in some way and carry it over,” he said. “They have the property and they have the storytelling ability to weave it into the parks.”
The two-park method for a licensed property has been employed by Universal with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which has distinct attractions in both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure theme parks.
Universal Orlando has several projects under way. The Fast & Furious — Supercharged ride is scheduled to open this spring, and the 17-story Aventura Hotel is slated to open in August. Another Wizarding World ride is under construction at Islands of Adventure. Dennis Speigel, International Theme Park Services
dbevil@orlandosentinel.com