Wednesday's big announcement from the city of Frisco has some residents feeling uneasy about any potential negative effect on the community from increased traffic to the housing market and even short-term rentals.
They say everything is bigger in Texas but when it comes to the 97-acre proposed future home of Universal Studio's kid-friendly theme park and resort, Mark Roberts, a real estate expert and the Director of Research at the SMU Cox Folsom Institute, says anxious residents should keep worries in perspective saying this won't be anywhere near the size of Orlando's mega-attraction.
"That's about the size of a golf course, so when you look at the PGA golf course that's being developed out there, it's a bit smaller in terms of the land that it's going to use," Roberts said.
A timelapse on Google Earth shows the city's explosion of growth in the past 40 years alone and they're not done yet.
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From traffic to visitors, more residents and development expect Frisco to keep booming, says Roberts, theme park or not.
"Look we've had employers move down that have a whole lot more employees that have come down with them and this seems like it's going to be an amenity for the community," Roberts said.
There is concern over short-term rentals.
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The city estimates the number of active STRs to fluctuate, around 200.
The Texas Neighborhood Coalition which opposes STRs is already calling for stronger regulations to avoid a nightmare for neighborhoods amid this week's announcement.
"It looks like one, two-day visitors so I don't know that that number of visitors would lead to consumer's concerns about the impact of short-term rentals," Roberts said.
The city's current rules require permits, a $300 fee and carry noise restrictions.
"In August of this year, we'll provide an update to the city council on the effectiveness of that ordinance," said Frisco Director of Development Services, John Lettelleir.
He says Universal reached out months ago to explore the possibility, also looking at other cities.
"We see this fitting in perfectly with the city's concept of being a kid-friendly town," Lettelleir said.
There will be a height limit to the theme park. It will also be shielded from roadways as much as possible. The city is also working with Universal on a plan to build a buffer around Cobb Hill.
The plan will be brought to the city council in the coming month.
The theme park complements the city's goal of having something for everybody.
"It adds to everything we've been doing over the last 20 to 30 years," Letellier said.
Universal Parks & Resorts is owned by NBCUniversal, which also owns this station.
