Universal Studios Lot
A major film and television production complex in Universal City, California, operated by NBCUniversal and connected to the adjacent Universal Studios Hollywood theme park.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Universal Studios Lot is a film and television production complex at 100 Universal City Plaza in Universal City, California. It forms the production component of the broader Universal Studios complex, whose neighboring attractions include Universal Studios Hollywood. The lot is owned through Comcast by NBCUniversal and serves as a principal production base for Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, while also hosting productions made for outside studios and television networks. The site traces its history to March 15, 1915, when Universal founder Carl Laemmle opened Universal City Studios on a 230-acre ranch in the San Fernando Valley. Laemmle promoted the property as Universal City, an integrated community organized around motion-picture production. The early site combined stages, backlots, production facilities, and the surrounding physical infrastructure needed to support filmmaking. It became an important part of Universal’s identity as the company expanded its studio operations. The lot reached approximately 400 acres after Universal acquired additional land along its southern boundary in 1950. In 1958, the Music Corporation of America acquired the property, with Universal continuing to use it through a lease arrangement. MCA and Universal merged in 1962, bringing the lot back into an integrated corporate structure and creating the basis for its later development under the Universal and NBCUniversal umbrellas. Public access has been part of the site’s history from the beginning. Carl Laemmle invited visitors to observe production in 1915, although the early visitor program was later discontinued. A modern studio tour was introduced on July 15, 1964, following an internal proposal that a visitor attraction could create an additional source of revenue. The tour initially included dressing-room visits and views of active production, then developed through changing formats, guides, set visits, and staged effects. Over time, this attraction evolved into the present Universal Studios Hollywood experience, while the working lot continued to operate as a separate production facility. The production complex has hosted a wide range of motion pictures and television programs. Its recognizable backlots and permanent sets, including Courthouse Square and Colonial Street, have been used for productions such as Psycho, Back to the Future, The Perfect Storm, War of the Worlds, Desperate Housewives, and The Good Place. These examples reflect the lot’s ability to serve Universal productions as well as projects associated with other studios and television companies. Today, the lot includes more than 30 sound stages, the Brokaw News Center, and 165 other structures across an approximately 400-acre site. Its services encompass soundstage rental, backlot use, production offices, set construction, technical support, and related studio infrastructure. The facility has continued to modernize, with plans and development activity aimed at adding soundstages and other production facilities. Since 2016, it has also hosted Los Angeles city qualifying and final-course filming for American Ninja Warrior. The lot is planned to serve as the squash venue for the 2028 Summer Olympics, extending its use beyond conventional screen production.
History
Universal Studios Lot began as Universal City Studios, established by Carl Laemmle on March 15, 1915, on a 230-acre ranch in California’s San Fernando Valley. Laemmle described the property as Universal City, a self-contained community dedicated to motion-picture production. The site was designed to bring stages, backlots, production support, and the surrounding needs of filmmaking into one integrated location. Its creation helped define Universal’s early studio identity and made the property one of the foundational production sites of the American film industry. Universal later enlarged the property. In 1950, the studio acquired land on the southern edge of the site, bringing the overall area to about 400 acres. The property changed corporate hands in 1958 when the Music Corporation of America, commonly known as MCA, purchased the lot. Universal leased the property back from MCA until the two companies merged in 1962. That merger reunited the production facility with the Universal business and established the corporate relationship that ultimately led to its operation within NBCUniversal. Visitors were part of the site’s history from its earliest period. Laemmle invited members of the public to watch filmmaking in progress in 1915, although the initial tour activity ended in the late 1920s. A modern studio tour returned on July 15, 1964. The idea arose from a proposal that a tour based in the studio commissary could produce additional revenue. Early versions included dressing-room walkthroughs and glimpses of real production. Later versions added narrated rides, controlled demonstrations, set visits, and staged effects. The visitor attraction gradually became Universal Studios Hollywood, the theme-park operation adjacent to the working lot. During the following decades, the lot developed into a flexible production environment with sound stages, backlots, permanent sets, offices, workshops, and technical services. Its locations have appeared in films and television programs associated with Universal and with other companies. Courthouse Square and Colonial Street became especially recognizable standing sets. Productions cited in connection with the lot include Psycho, Back to the Future, The Perfect Storm, War of the Worlds, Desperate Housewives, and The Good Place. The diversity of these productions illustrates the facility’s role as a general-purpose production campus rather than only a home for Universal-branded projects. The modern lot is part of the broader Universal Studios complex at Universal City, California. It remains distinct from the adjacent Universal Studios Hollywood theme park, although the two are historically and operationally connected through the studio-tour concept. The lot contains more than 30 sound stages, the Brokaw News Center, and 165 additional structures across approximately 400 acres. Its business functions include stage and location rental, production offices, standing sets, construction and technical support, and other services used by film and television productions. The facility has continued to adapt to changing production requirements through modernization and proposed expansion. Since 2016, it has accommodated filming for the Los Angeles qualifiers and finals courses of American Ninja Warrior. It is also planned to host squash during the 2028 Summer Olympics. These uses demonstrate how the lot’s large footprint and specialized infrastructure can support entertainment production, public attractions, television events, and major temporary sporting operations.
- 2016
American Ninja Warrior production begins at the lot
[1]The lot began hosting filming for the Los Angeles city qualifiers and final courses of American Ninja Warrior.
- 1964
Modern studio tour begins
[1]A modern public tour launched on July 15, featuring dressing-room walkthroughs and views of production; it later developed into Universal Studios Hollywood.
- 1962
MCA and Universal merge
[1]The merger of MCA and Universal ended the leaseback structure and integrated the studio property with the Universal business.
- 1958
MCA acquires the lot
[1]The Music Corporation of America purchased the Universal Studios Lot, while Universal continued to occupy it under a lease arrangement.
- 1950
The property expands to approximately 400 acres
[1]Universal acquired additional land along the southern boundary, increasing the overall size of the studio property to about 400 acres.
- 1915
Universal City Studios opens
[1]Carl Laemmle opened Universal City Studios on a 230-acre San Fernando Valley ranch and established Universal City as a community centered on motion-picture production.
Planned Olympic squash venue
[1]Universal Studios Lot is planned to be used as the venue for squash at the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Products and positioning
A large-scale, full-service Hollywood production campus combining active film and television infrastructure with a long-running public studio-tour operation.
Production infrastructure · 1915
Film production facilities
The lot provides sound stages, backlots, standing sets, production offices, workshops, and technical infrastructure for feature-film production. Its facilities can support Universal productions and productions associated with other studios, giving the site a role as a general-purpose Hollywood production campus.
Production infrastructure · 1915
Television production facilities
Television production is a central use of the lot. The campus accommodates scripted series, unscripted programs, news-related operations, production offices, standing sets, and the logistical support required for recurring television work.
Visitor attraction · 1964
Universal Studios Hollywood Studio Tour
The studio-tour operation provides visitors with a behind-the-scenes view of the Universal production environment. The modern version began in 1964 and evolved through narrated tours, set visits, production glimpses, and staged experiences. It later became closely associated with the adjacent Universal Studios Hollywood theme park.
Backlot standing sets
Courthouse Square and Colonial Street
Courthouse Square and Colonial Street are long-running backlot environments used as recognizable settings for film and television production. Their adaptable architecture allows productions to portray multiple locations and periods without leaving the studio campus.
Broadcast production facility
Brokaw News Center
The Brokaw News Center is one of the major structures on the lot and supports news and broadcast-related operations within the wider production complex.
Brand decisions
2016
Expansion into large-scale television event productionOtherBackground
The lot’s extensive footprint and production infrastructure allowed it to support filming beyond conventional scripted film and television projects.
Action taken
The facility began hosting the Los Angeles city qualifiers and final courses for American Ninja Warrior.
Aftermath
The lot continued to function as a flexible location for televised competition and event production alongside its studio work.
1964
Creation of a modern studio tourStrategyBackground
After an earlier visitor program had ended, company accountants proposed using a studio tour to generate additional revenue from the production property.
Action taken
Universal launched a new tour on July 15, combining dressing-room walkthroughs with views of active production and later adding staged events and set-based experiences.
Aftermath
The attraction expanded over time and became the Universal Studios Hollywood theme-park and studio-tour operation adjacent to the working lot.
Recent events
- 2016
American Ninja Warrior films Los Angeles courses at Universal Studios Lot[1]
Other
Beginning in 2016, the lot became the filming location for the Los Angeles city qualifiers and final courses of American Ninja Warrior.
Universal Studios Lot continues modernization and production expansion planning[1]
Other
The production complex has continued to modernize and has plans to add soundstages and other facilities as demand for film and television production space develops.
Universal Studios Lot planned as a squash venue for the 2028 Summer Olympics[1]
Other
The facility is planned to host squash competition during the 2028 Summer Olympics, adding a major sporting use to its production and visitor functions.
Sources1 sources
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