A massive British film and TV production company — with hands in projects like James Bond and Harry Potter films — is in talks to bring an equally massive production facility to the Atlanta area. Peachtree City's newspaper, The Citizen, reported that Pinewood Studios is speaking with local investors about bringing a "major film and television production facility" to a 288-acre plot in the middle of Fayette County, and that a group called Rivers Rock LLC filed paperwork with the proper zoning authorities on Tuesday afternoon. The move — which would bring, among other things, half-a-million square feet of sound stages, offices and a focus on television production rather than film — is almost certainly the latest product of the tax breaks Georgia has been offering to film and TV studios for a few years now. The total facility would be about 100 acres larger than Piedmont Park.
The project's Phase 1 would go up "on the southwest corner of the intersection of Veterans Parkway and Sandy Creek Road," west of Fayetteville proper, The Citizen reported. Investors are touting the project as the largest film production complex in metro Atlanta.
The initial investment in the project, according to a news release from Fayette County development folks, would probably be around $20 million. "Construction is expected to begin this spring, pending permit approvals, and the initial phase is expected to be operational during the first quarter of 2014," the release said.
Pinewood Studios is technically based in the London 'burbs, but has studio space in five countries. Its recent credits include pretty much everything, from "Zero Dark Thirty" and "Les Miserables" to Harry Potter flicks and the entire 007 series. "Pinewood Atlanta" — about 15 miles south of Hartsfield-Jackson — would also include administrative buildings, and future plans call for the establishment of a "professional film production school." No word yet on how many jobs it might bring to the area; or, sadly, any type of renderings ... We'll post 'em if they send 'em.
— By Curbed Atlanta contributor Tyler Estep
· British film-TV production studios coming to Fayette[The Citizen]
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