Construction of Epic Universe on Hold Indefinitely
Universal Orlando Resort might be back open, but its upcoming expansion – Epic Universe – has been put on hold indefinitely due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been reported. While Epic Universe was scheduled to open in 2023, construction delays could push that into the future.
WDW News Today, Nintendo Wire, and WTSP (a CBS affiliate station in the Tampa, Florida, area) are all reporting that work on Epic Universe has been put on hold. WTSP noted that more layoffs from Universal are likely.
Back in April, Universal announced plans to push the parks [sic] opening date back. Construction has already started, but this week, executives with Universal’s parent company, Comcast, said the project is on hold indefinitely. More layoffs are coming, too.
The station also quoted a statement that was provided by a spokesperson for Universal to the Orlando-area WKMG.
We continue to manage our business through challenging times, focusing on the health and safety of our guests and team members and working to remain as resilient as possible. We are prioritizing daily operations and shorter-term projects and continuing our pause on longer-term projects such as Epic Universe as we allow the tourism industry to recover. We have again made the difficult decision to reduce our workforce to reflect current priorities and needs. As always, we are aware of the impact this will have on those affected by this decision and their families. We are grateful for their contribution, and we will support them through this process with severance pay, subsidized health benefits and reemployment assistance. We continue to have confidence in the long[-]term future of our business, our industry and our community.
No additional information on the status of Epic Universe is available at this time.
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