BlueStar Studios — a business formed earlier this year that’s led by Rich Goldberg, a vet of companies such as Jaunt and DirecTV — unwrapped details of an ambitious plan to build a 53-acre production campus in Forest Park, Georgia, just outside Atlanta. The total investment is expected to be $180 million.
Recent filming in Atlanta has included big budget DC and Marvel movies, including Black Adam and the upcoming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Plans are to open the new campus in phases, starting next summer and continuing through 2024. Gala Media Capital, an Atlanta-based division of Peachtree Group, is providing financing for phase one of the studio development.
When completed, the site is expected to encompass 600,000 square feet of production and office space, including 18 stages ranging from 5,000 to 40,000 square feet. According to BlueStar, productions will have access to two intersecting 100GB fiber lines to support technical needs, including cloud services and virtual production.
The center of the campus is the region’s historic Fort Gillem army post headquarters building. In all, six Fort Gillem buildings are being repurposed for the complex, with plans to preserve their architecture.
“Fort Gillem has long been a significant presence in our community, so we’re thrilled to see such a transformational development through this substantial investment in a technology-forward way. BlueStar Studios preserves the charm and history of the surrounding area while also bringing new production capabilities and boosting our local economy,” said Forest Park Mayor Angelyne Butler in a statement.
BlueStar also is exploring partnerships with local universities and high schools, with a goal of becoming a filmmaking education destination.