Universal Kids Resort shoots out of ground in Frisco
Construction goes vertical for parts of $550M project
Construction crews now appear to be building the hotel at the park’s entrance, according to photos shared by Orlando Park Stop, a theme park news website. They have also prepared foundations for a possible SpongeBob SquarePants-themed structure, dug trenches for a planned water ride and paved a new six-lane road connecting Dallas Parkway to Panther Creek Parkway, Orlando Park Shop reported recently.
2026 has always been the planned opening timeframe for the resort. Fehmi Karahan, a prominent developer who’s helping lead the charge with Fields, told Dallas Business Journal recently that Universal Kids could open in May 2026, which would be in time for the massive crowds expected in the region for the FIFA World Cup. Arlington’s AT&T Stadium is set to host more games than any other site for the renowned global soccer tournament, with a total of nine matches, including five in the group stage. An estimated $400 million economic impact will be felt all over the Metroplex.
A spokesperson for Florida-based Universal Destinations & Experiences, the park operator, said a grand opening timeline has not been confirmed.
But crews have been hard at work since a 2023 groundbreaking. The development team for Universal Kids includes general contractor Balfour Beatty, architect Gensler and utility contractor Moss Utilities LLC.
Karahan is president and CEO of Karahan Cos., which is part of the joint ownership group for Fields along with Hunt Realty Investments, Chief Partners and Cross Tie Capital. Those groups are weaving a complex web of projects together across the 2,544-acre master-planned development. Already open are the PGA of America headquarters and the Omni PGA Frisco Resort.
Karahan is developing Fields West, a 55-acre project at the center of Fields. Fields West will include 4 million square feet of office space, more than 2,000 urban residences and 400,000 square feet of retail, dining and entertainment space in roughly the next decade.
Fields is also slated to have thousands of high-end homes across multiple neighborhoods, with multimillion-dollar houses now under construction in one of those areas, The Preserve.
Universal Studios itself is expected to draw millions of visitors a year, Karahan said — an economic “engine” that further elevates the allure of Fields and Frisco.