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No.175 SIM音読用英文

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Universal Studios to Revamp California Theme Park
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The studio that enjoyed worldwide success

with such hit movies as "Jaws," "Jurassic Park," and "Psycho,"

is expanding the complex,

which celebrates its legacy.

Universal Studios in Universal City, California

is already the world's largest movie studio lot.

Now Universal's parent company wants to add

a major residential and business complex

to its 158-hectare studio and theme park.

NBC Universal plans to add 24,000 square meters of space,

including high-tech sound stages and a residential development

to be called "Universal Village."

Under the $3 billion proposal,

the new neighborhood would include

2,900 homes and apartment units.

The 25-year plan also calls for new production facilities,
restaurants, stores, a hotel,

and improvements to the studio's famous back lot.

Universal City, in the Hollywood Hills overlooking the San Fernando
Valley,

was founded in 1915 by Carl Laemmle,

who also founded Universal Studios.

In its earliest days,

Universal Studios spread across a 151-hectare ranch.

Over the decades, the lot expanded

to include the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park

and a shopping and retail area called City Walk.

In recent years,

zoning and environmental regulations have blocked Universal's efforts

to expand the complex even further.

Regulations requiring current amusement park rides to be scrapped

to create space for new attractions

also hindered Universal's efforts

to compete with nearby theme parks

Disneyland and Six Flags Magic Mountain.

NBC Universal says the project would create 17,000 construction jobs

and add another 11,000 permanent jobs at the studio.

At a news conference Wednesday,

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa called the project

an economic boon for the metropolitan area.

"All together the existing, future studio, retail, theme park, and
residential uses

will generate approximately $21 million in new annual revenues."

However, many nearby residents say

those benefits pale

compared with the problems

caused by additional automobile traffic.

They say surrounding neighborhoods are already overcrowded

with tourists and park visitors.

Plans by previous owners to expand the lot also met

with similar opposition.

A spokesman says

NBC Universal is working with city officials

to widen roads

to ease congestion.

Universal is adjacent

to a subway station

and near two freeways.

New parking facilities would be added

near the subway stop.

Robert Raffaele, VOA News.
(Material is provided courtesy of voanews.com.)
by danueno | 2006-12-20 11:32 | SIM音読用英文


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