Universal Potter plan draws toasts

Raising mugs of butterbeer Tuesday morning, studio chiefs from Warner Bros. and Universal, in addition to California Gov. Jerry Brown, toasted intends to develop a Wizarding Realm of Harry Potter park at Universal Galleries Hollywood. "Hogwarts is visiting Hollywood," browse the marquee in the Globe Theater throughout the presentation. The designed Potter park in Orlando, Fla., which instantly grew to become a high draw at Universal's Islands of chance, if this opened up in June 2010, may also be "greatly broadened," based on Universal Parks and Resorts chairman-Boss Tom Williams, and "build upon the great experience that already is available" there. Warner Bros. chairman-Boss Craig Meyer stated, "The way forward for Harry Potter is searching better today than ever beforeInch which, using the new park plans, the franchise is "entering the next thing of the items Harry Potter way to its loyal audience." No date has yet been set on once the L.A. project or Orlando expansion will get started. First park was introduced in 2007 and opened up this year. Executives at both galleries were keeping a good lid on specifics, saying many particulars remained as being completed and plans could be introduced sometime the coming year. Universal continues to be wrestling with lengthy-term expansion plans for a long time, working carefully using the city and communities to appease fears of traffic congestion. The designed area in Hollywood, that will replicate Hogwarts castle, Hogsmeade village as well as other shops from J.K. Rowling's books and WB's movies and will be offering rides, will probably replace existing regions of the present park. Universal's Hollywood amusement park is much more limited in space than U's two Florida parks for big-scale points of interest such as the Wizarding Realm of Harry Potter. But U is wanting to make room for that designed area because the Orlando version has consistently damaged attendance and purchasers records since opening. Additional versions are now being considered for U's overseas parks. Universal is presently creating a three dimensional ride according to Paramount's "Transformers" franchise that opens early in the year, changing the previous home of "Backdraft" along with other points of interest. The Potter park can give U another attraction to contend with Disneyland's massive Cars Land, which opens next summer time in Anaheim. New addition is anticipated to cost "hundreds of million dollars," using the first park's cost, and generate a lot more than 1,000 jobs, stated Universal Galleries prexy-chief operating officer Ron Meyer. Meyer added the Potter park "as set a brand new standard in designed entertainment and can alter the face of tourism in Los Angeles.Inch Universal Galleries Hollywood already creates $4.4 billion for that La economy every year, stated L.A. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky in the event. "As leaders in municipality, you should be protective from the movie industry," he added, "and double lower on L.A.'s way forward for cultural tourism." Brown recognized the plans, saying, "It is a great day whenever we see purchase of California among all of the negative people out there. California is really a mythic place. Its very title comes with an aura that pulls people here. The film industry keeps hope alive and us taking into consideration the unpredicted. We are a classic condition of imagination, which Harry Potter park pushes us in the future." La Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who spoke throughout a pre-recorded segment while marketing tourism to L.A. in Beijing, also famous the plans. "Without doubt that La and Gryffindor are among the same," he stated. Also inside a recorded segment, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer excited from the park's expansion plans there, saying, "We have already seen the energy of the brand." Also available in the event were WB's Shaun Robinov, Diane Nelson, Kevin Tsujihara and Kaira Globe. Contact Marc Graser at marc.graser@variety.com