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Bedford, UK, chosen for Universal's first European park

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Comcast ( CMCSA ) pledges jobs and investment

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Plans include several themed lands and 500-room hotel

By Paul Sandle

LONDON, April 9 (Reuters) - U.S. media giant Comcast

Corp ( CMCSA ) has chosen an area north of London for its first

Universal theme park and resort in Europe, pledging to build

rides and attractions based on its movie franchises that it

hopes will rival Disneyland Paris.

The group, home to the Jurassic Park and Harry Potter movie

franchises, said the park in Bedford would create 20,000 jobs

during construction and a further 8,000 across the hospitality

and creative industries when it opens in 2031.

It is expected to attract 8.5 million visitors in its first

year, a number currently only exceeded in Europe by Disneyland

to the east of the French capital.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and finance minister

Rachel Reeves joined Comcast ( CMCSA ) bosses to announce the theme park

on Wednesday.

"This will drive growth here and across the country,"

Starmer said.

The Labour government has pledged to boost investment in

infrastructure since it was elected last year, and Britain's

economy needs fresh momentum after the highest tax-raising

budget since 1993 in October dented business confidence.

The government has pledged to speed up planning decisions

and the announcement comes after it approved the expansion of

Luton Airport, which is about 20 miles (32 kilometres) from the

Universal site, boosting the area's international connectivity.

"This (theme park) is our 'Plan for Change' in action,

bringing investment, bringing opportunity, growth, jobs and, of

course, joy to Britain," Starmer said.

Universal has five resorts and parks, in the U.S. states of

California and Florida as well as in Singapore, Japan and China,

offering rides and attractions based on its movie franchises.

Plans for the new site include a theme park, featuring

several themed lands, a 500-room hotel and a retail, dining and

entertainment complex.

Comcast ( CMCSA ) President Mike Cavanagh showed Starmer the plan in

London on Tuesday, saying he "could not be more excited" to

create a Universal theme park and resort in the heart of the

United Kingdom.

Comcast ( CMCSA ) bought a 500-acre former brickworks in Bedfordshire,

about 55 miles north of London, in 2023 and had been in talks

with the government since last year. It already owns Sky, which

is Europe's biggest pay-TV business.

The theme park and resort are subject to planning

permission, the government said.

(Additional reporting by Sarah Young. Editing by Paul Simao and

Mark Potter)