BlueStar Studios, a $180 Million Film and TV Production Center, to Open in Atlanta
Atlanta will continue to grow as a major production hub with the addition of BlueStar Studios, a 53-acre campus now under construction in nearby Forest Park, Ga., that will start operations in the summer of 2023.
The new film and TV production facility will offer 18 purpose-built stages with more than 600,000 square feet of space – ranging in size from 5,000 square feet to over 40,000 square feet each. Productions will have access to two intersecting 100GB fiber lines for supporting all technical needs, including cloud services and virtual as well as traditional production.
The studio is rising on the grounds of a former military base at Fort Gillem. The base’s old headquarters building, at 108,000 square feet, will serve as the centerpiece for the new campus.
The project represents a total investment of $180 million. Development will continue in phases through 2024. Atlanta-based Gala Media Capital, a division of private equity firm Peachtree Group, originated the financing for construction of phase one of the studio development.
“BlueStar Studios offers production teams and studios top-of-the-line stages equipped with the latest tools and tech in a beautiful, historic campus conveniently located 10 minutes from the Atlanta airport,” said BlueStar founder and CEO Rich Goldberg. The facility, he added, is “designed with creativity in mind, and our infrastructure provides the ultimate in bandwidth and redundancy.”
Additionally, there are 45,000 square feet of former motor pool, woodworking and metalworking buildings for mill and wardrobe. Amenities include a nature trail, on-site café and, for pet lovers, a dog run.
The campus retains much of its original 1940s-era architecture, providing an abundance of practical shooting locations in addition to the soundstages. Offices are available for lease to companies looking for a home base in Georgia.
“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,” said Forest Park Mayor Angelyne Butler. “BlueStar Studios preserves the charm and history of the surrounding area while also bringing new production capabilities and boosting our local economy.
The BlueStar Studios complex includes six historic buildings that are being repurposed to ensure preservation of the former Army base’s architectural legacy and contribute to the project’s sustainability by reducing resource and energy consumption. To this end, the project team collaborated with the Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.
Architecture enthusiasts will appreciate design elements that include rehabilitated steel windows and brick walls, restored painted signage, and new windows and doors based on archival photographs and original drawings.
The company is currently exploring partnerships with local universities and high schools, with the goal of becoming a destination for training students in the cinematic arts.
Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
