ORLANDO, Fla. — Universal Orlando is restarting construction on Epic Universe, its newest theme park, almost a year after hitting the pause button because of the pandemic.

The work will begin immediately, Universal said in a news release Wednesday.

"The restart will begin immediately — but is expected to take several months before reaching full-speed as Universal re-staffs for the project and reassembles its vendor and contractor teams," the release said.

With the Epic Universe project back on track, it's expected to create more than 14,000 permanent jobs and pump billions of dollars into the Florida economy, the company said.

"The restart of construction of Epic Universe is a terrific moment for our employees and for our theme park business in Florida," Comcast CEO Brian L. Roberts said in a statement. "It is our single-largest investment in the state and represents our enthusiasm for the spectacular park and the economic opportunities it will generate."

When complete, Epic Universe is expected to have at least four themed lands, including Super Nintendo World. There will also be numerous hotels, shops, restaurants, and an entertainment center. The park is being built on a 750-acre plot just east of Universal Boulevard.

Prior to the pandemic-related shutdown, Epic Universe was on track to open in 2023. Then, construction was halted in late April 2020. At the time, Universal executives told Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings that they expected the Epic Universe project to be delayed by a year.

A new timeline for the project has not been announced.