Universal Studios Plans $100-Million Expansion : Theme parks: MCA says it will complete the project--which includes Lucille Ball and “E.T.” attractions--by the busy summer season.

The battle for Southern California theme park supremacy intensified Monday as MCA Inc. announced that two of Hollywood’s great icons, “E.T.” and Lucille Ball, will be saluted with new attractions as part of a $100-million expansion of Universal Studios Hollywood.

MCA executives said the changes will bring tour visitors closer to the filmmaking process. Universal plans to revamp its tram service, cutting the ride from 2 hours to 45 minutes. It will also provide better access to the studio back lot and the special-effects stages.

Ron Bension, president of MCA’s recreation division, said the work will be completed in time for the busy summer season. The expansion is the biggest in the 26-year-old theme park’s history.

“Over the past four years, we’ve made dramatic changes and improvements, from parking to new attractions,” Bension said. “This is a continuation of that ongoing reinvestment into the park. . . . It will be a whole new experience for visitors, especially local ones.”

News of the expansion comes just a few weeks after MCA agreed to be purchased by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. for $6.59 billion. Bension said the plan is unrelated to the sale of the company because construction started nearly a year ago.

The upgrading appears to have been motivated at least partially by the growing competition among such rivals as Disneyland, Magic Mountain and Knott’s Berry Farm for a weakening tourist dollar. After a record-setting year in 1989, Universal Studios Hollywood revenues declined to $115 million for the first nine months of this year, compared to $118 million the year before.

MCA is also coming off a disappointing first season at its $630-million Universal Studios Florida, which was plagued by mechanical difficulties on its attractions until recently.

Entertainment analysts said the Universal Studios Hollywood expansion makes sense economically. “They have to doll the place up,” said Jeffrey Logsdon of Seidler Amdec Securities.

Harold Vogel of Merrill Lynch said the Southern California tour could be considered primitive by current standards. “It’s been around a long time, so it wouldn’t be at all surprising that they would need to do some modernizing and updating,” Vogel said. “And $100 million is not a lot of money these days. It’s probably a necessity these days just to stay competitive.”

The new attractions will be added gradually. The tribute to Lucille Ball opens March 15 and will feature the original “I Love Lucy” set. “E.T.’s Adventure” is set to open June 1. The $36-million attraction, which can also be found at Universal Studios Florida, will be housed in a 60,000-square-foot sound stage. It will allow visitors to feel the sensation of traveling through the galaxy on airborne bicycles with E.T. as he searches for his home.

Other additions include a “Back to the Future” special effects show, a new restaurant, an “E.T.” toy store and a New England seacoast village.