Universal Destinations and Experience said 80% of those employed in the new jobs will be from Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas.
Universal, which produced films such as Minions and Wicked, currently has theme parks in Orlando and Los Angeles in the US, as well as Osaka, Japan, Sentosa, Singapore, and Beijing, China.
The park will be the first Universal-branded destination in Europe.
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy said: “This landmark investment is fantastic news for our economy, for UK tourism and for the British public, who will be able to enjoy the biggest and best theme park in Europe on their doorstep.”
A full planning proposal will be submitted to the UK government with construction expected to start in 2026.
