Update: 'Potter' theme park in talks
April 27, 2007 at 10:58 AM ET
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HPANA (via Various)
harry potter theme park, harry potter universal orlando
As first reported
by Deadline Hollywood Daily, advanced discussions are taking place for an elaborate Harry Potter-themed adventure park somewhere on Universal's Orlando property.
The Scotsman reported Sunday that a former executive revealed detailed plans of the project, worth an estimated $500 million:
Rowling is believed to have been in negotiations with Universal Studios since 2005 over potential sites and the park's contents. Earlier talks with Disney, which has a Disneyworld in Orlando, are understood to have fallen through because the giant American leisure corporation wanted total control of the project.
Indeed, Rowling's camp later denied a link with Disney.
UPDATE: While this rumor has existed in some form since as early as 2003, HPANA can now independently confirm that such a project is in discussions. Universal and Warner Bros. declined to comment, however JK Rowling's representatives confirmed to HPANA that the author has been in talks with Warner Bros. about a themed attraction for "several" years. There is nothing to announce officially at this point, however.