Hollywood Welcomes Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Here’s the main quote from Ron Meyer, president and COO of Universal Studios, currently buzzing around the net.

After nearly a decade of work on the Evolution Plan, today’s vote sets the stage for our next 100 years in [Universal City].

100 years is a long time, but after the success the Harry Potter franchise has had at Universal Orlando Resort, we’re surprised this announcement didn’t come sooner! The Evolution Plan cited here by Meyer reportedly represents a staggering $1.6 billion investment in tourism and production. You don’t need a baker to tell you – that’s a lotta dough!

Inside the Magic is reporting that the new Wizarding World (which will begin construction this summer) will bring with it new and upgraded television production facilities, as well as office space and infrastructure at the Universal Studios lot, which will comprise a $500 million investment in the Los Angeles economy and the creation of more than 2,000 construction jobs. Additionally, the inclusion of the Hogwarts Castle will mean bringing an end to some older sections of the park, including the Curious George section.

This announcement comes at a perfect time since we’re expecting NBCUniversal to soon announce further details regarding the expansion of the existing park in Orlando, Florida. We had an inside scoop about this expansion from a Universal employee a little while ago, which you can check out right here.

Are you excited to taste butterbeer at Universal Studios Hollywood? Let us know how you feel about this big news in the comments!