A Preview of CityWalk’s New Neon

Universal Studios on Monday announced the roster of 25 new restaurants and other entertainment tenants planned for the next phase of its CityWalk complex, which broke ground recently.

The anchors of the 90,000-square-foot addition consist of an Imax 3-D theater and several new eateries, including Buca di Beppo, an Italian restaurant with immense portions that are meant to be shared; home-style eatery Daily Grill; Cafe Tu Tu Tango, which mimics an artist’s loft; and two new restaurants designed by Gladstone’s founder Bob Morris--one a sushi-Asian noodle cafe and the other a steakhouse in a rustic mill setting.

CityWalk General Manager Larry Kurzweil declined to reveal the cost of the addition, opening in 2000 and designed in the same flashy, neon-rich style as the original.

In addition to the new restaurants, CityWalk’s expansion will include such tenants as a comedy theater; beer garden; dueling-piano bar; and live interactive show.

“With 10 million people coming through the center every year, we felt we didn’t have enough retail and entertainment choices,” Kurzweil said.