Universal Studios Will Open a CityWalk Cousin in Beijing

In a move the studio says will make it the first to open a “multifaceted” amusement attraction in China, Universal Studios on Wednesday unveiled plans to participate in a Beijing retail/office/apartment complex project. The 20,000-square-foot Universal Studios Experience is expected to open in June in the complex, developed by Hong Kong-based Henderson (China) Investment Co.

Brian McGrath, international president of Universal Studios Recreation Group, said Universal’s investment in the “indoor CityWalk” would total “several million dollars.” Among its features will be a walk-through attraction using multimedia displays to demonstrate filmmaking and Hollywood history, a Universal “studio store” and other concessions.

Though the project represents a small investment, McGrath said he hopes the Beijing attraction will give Universal a foothold in China that can expand as the marketplace develops.

The venture is the latest on the part of several studios to test the waters in the Far East. Walt Disney Co., for example, has been staging its traveling “DisneyFest”--featuring games, stage shows and shops--since October, when the attraction opened in Singapore. So far, DisneyFest has not traveled to mainland China.

Universal, owned by Seagram, plans to open its first non-U.S. theme park (as a 25% equity investor) in Japan in 2001.