California will get its own Wizarding World of Harry Potter at the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park, providing a bicoastal bookend to the one that opened in Orlando, Fla., in 2010.
In announcing the project yesterday, Universal and Warner Bros. did not specify a timeline for construction, stressing instead "the jobs that would be created (one union rep estimated there would be 800 in construction alone) and the positive effect the Harry Potter draw would have on the Los Angeles economy. County supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky estimated that the Universal park currently generates $4.4 billion for the local economy," the Hollywood Reporter wrote.
Governor Jerry Brown invoked the potential for Potter magic while acknowledging the "tough times" Californians are facing: "You hear about people moving to Texas. But we're building the dream that never dies. We're truly a state of imagination. And the Harry Potter ride pushes us further down that uncertain road California is on." The press conference concluded with a Butterbeer toast.
