Months after “Netflix” placed a bid to buy land for a film studio in New Jersey, neighbors are saying they are skeptical, Brian Thompson reports.
An old Army base in New Jersey is becoming the new, state-of-the-art production hub for Netflix, Gov. Phil Murphy announced.
Murphy confirmed on Wednesday that the streaming giant will be making Fort Monmouth its East Coast base for the future, taking over a property that has largely sat dormant or vacant for more than a decade. The decision to open up the new production facility at the Monmouth County facility will bring more than 1,500 permanent production jobs to the area, as well as 3,500 construction jobs.
The governor added that Netflix plans to invest nearly $1 billion dollars in the community to develop the 292-acre parcel of land. There will be 12 soundstages among the 500,000 square feet of new Eatontown development.
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"This transformative investment will serve as a cornerstone in our efforts to create a thriving industry from whole cloth," said Murphy. "As a result of nearly a billion dollars in film production spending, New Jersey will further solidify its status as an emerging national leader in the television and film industries. Additionally, Netflix’s substantial direct investment will stimulate job creation and spark an entirely new ecosystem of housing, hotels, and ancillary businesses and services, bringing with it countless additional jobs and boosting the regional economy."
First Lady Tammy Murphy said that it had been a "top priority" of the administration to build the state's film and TV industry, and said the move will have a lasting, positive impact on the community.
Not only had Netflix been competing against several other redevelopment proposals, but the company also faced opposition from a local group. A member of the group called No 2 Netflix said that they were not specifically anti-Netflix, just fearful the community would be subjected to over-promising and under-delivering on economic benefits. They said that has happened in other towns when other film production companies try to move in.
Murphy said that the film studio campus will be completed in two stages, which will take several years to finish. The 12 soundstages will be built first, ranging from 15,000 square feet up to 40,000. In addition to the soundstages, the facility will also contain residential housing, administrative areas, warehouses, workshops and more, the state said.
Netflix will pay $55 million for the land.
