Office of the Governor | ICYMI: Great Point Studios and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center Partner with Lionsgate to Open 12 Acre TV and Film Complex in Newark, New Jersey

Lionsgate Newark Studio

Newark, NJ – Nice Level Studios, a studio funding/administration enterprise specializing in movie and tv infrastructure, and The New Jersey Performing Arts Middle (NJPAC), Newark’s anchor cultural and civic establishment, immediately introduced a partnership with international content material chief Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) to construct a significant new manufacturing facility in Newark. The power might be owned and operated by Nice Level Studios. As the ability’s long-term anchor tenant, Lionsgate will obtain naming rights to the studio. NJPAC will handle public affairs and neighborhood relations for the studio and create instructional packages and internships for Newark highschool and faculty college students.

The power would be the first purpose-built studio in New Jersey particularly constructed for TV and movie manufacturing. It will likely be positioned in Newark’s South Ward on the website of the previous Seth Boyden Housing website, which is conveniently positioned close to Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport, the Port of Newark, NJ TRANSIT, the PATH system, and several other main highways. Operations are anticipated to start in late 2024.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s energetic encouragement, along with the not too long ago handed laws on movie and tv incentives, had been instrumental in attracting Lionsgate to New Jersey.

“One in all my administration’s priorities has been to boost New Jersey’s movie {industry} and create new income streams for our State,” mentioned Governor Murphy. “With the addition of the Lionsgate Newark Studio, New Jersey will cement its place as a hub for tv and movie manufacturing with its proximity to all types of transportation and entry to greater than 14,000 certified union members within the area. Consequently, the introduction of the Lionsgate Newark Studio not solely promotes the financial vitality of our state, but additionally gives good jobs and entry to alternative for all South Ward neighborhood members.”

“Bringing a mission of this magnitude into Newark is a monumental victory for our metropolis,” mentioned Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. “It should convey a whole bunch of latest jobs, create new instructional alternatives for our college students, and invigorate the revitalization of the South Ward.”

Nice Level Studios founder Robert Halmi known as upon many years of expertise as founding father of the Hallmark Channel and a producer of greater than 400 movie & tv tasks to create a facility that matches the wants of immediately’s tv and movie productions.

The 300,000 square-foot, full-service, fashionable leisure advanced will embody manufacturing levels starting from 20,000 to 30,000 sq. ft, places of work, help house and parking for 400 automobiles and 65 vehicles. The power will provide a full set of manufacturing providers on website, together with grip and electrical, gear, props, set constructing, eating places, location catering, cleansing service, and safety. It’s anticipated to create greater than 600 new long-term jobs, with precedence for positions going to residents of Newark, and generate greater than $800M of annual financial affect for Newark and New Jersey.

“We’ve a shared imaginative and prescient for the way forward for the leisure {industry}, and it’s mirrored in each element we put into this advanced,” mentioned Founder & CEO of Nice Level Studios Robert Halmi. “Given the rise in studio manufacturing post-Covid, we’re assured that increasing our studio program into New Jersey might be a welcome addition.”

“It is a nice alternative to scale our East Coast studio footprint with our companions at Nice Level Studios and the New Jersey Performing Arts Middle to help our sturdy movie & tv manufacturing,” mentioned Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer. “Lionsgate Studios Newark can also be an vital a part of our dedication to variety, fairness and inclusion, enabling us to create a whole bunch of jobs, present instructional alternatives to native college students and contribute to the financial revitalization of the South Ward of Newark.”

NJPAC originated the concept for the mission with the Metropolis of Newark and the Newark Housing Authority, developed a coalition of companions, and collaborated to convey the mission to public announcement.

“NJPAC regularly seeks alternatives to behave as a catalyst for financial growth in its residence metropolis of Newark,” mentioned NJPAC CEO John Schreiber. “We’re grateful to Mayor Baraka and the Newark Housing Authority for embracing our mission to convey a world class movie studio again to the town the place celluloid film movie was invented and to Governor Murphy for creating tax incentives to make New Jersey extra engaging to the movie {industry} and particularly for the event of studios, like Lionsgate Newark. With out their collective efforts, this mission wouldn’t have seen the sunshine of day.”

The 12-acre, $125 million-plus facility might be owned by a three way partnership between Nice Level Studios and its institutional monetary associate, Lindsay Goldberg, a non-public funding agency centered on partnering with entrepreneurs and family-owned companies to assist them develop. Matrix Improvement will function the mission developer and Gensler, a world structure, design and planning agency with greater than 3,500 energetic shoppers, has signed on to prepared the ground with structure and grasp planning.

ABOUT LIONSGATE

Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) encompasses world-class movement image and tv studio operations aligned with the STARZ premium international subscription platform to convey a novel and different portfolio of leisure to shoppers around the globe. The Firm’s movie, tv, subscription and location-based leisure companies are backed by a 17,000-title library and a beneficial assortment of iconic movie and tv franchises. A digital age firm pushed by its entrepreneurial tradition and dedication to innovation, the Lionsgate model is synonymous with daring, unique, relatable leisure for audiences worldwide.

ABOUT GREAT POINT STUDIOS

Nice Level Studios is a media-focused funding fund specializing in movie and tv infrastructure. It was based by Robert Halmi and Fehmi Zeko. They’re presently increasing into new studio funding/administration companies in different places in North America and the U.Okay.

Robert Halmi is the founding father of the Hallmark Channel and was Chairman of Crown Media. Robert has been the Chief Government Officer of 4 public corporations. As President and CEO of Hallmark Leisure, Robert remodeled the enterprise from a small manufacturing firm into one of many first fashionable studios, with manufacturing, distribution and broadcast multi functional firm. Beneath Halmi’s management, Hallmark Leisure produced over 2,000 hours of unique content material. Halmi is an energetic member of the Academy of Tv Arts & Sciences and serves on the board of the Worldwide Emmy Committee.

Fehmi Zeko has established a file of serving to international know-how, media and telecommunications shoppers construct sturdy corporations and ship worthwhile progress by means of landmark M&A, turnaround and progress initiatives. Fehmi has led the banking methods in international communications, media, leisure and telecom at Financial institution of America, Macquarie Capital and Citigroup. Fehmi has had constant success offering working recommendation and capital to drive the completion of a whole bunch of transactions and elevating a whole bunch of billions in fairness and debt capital. He has constructed, led and/or expanded market sector practices in main establishments by means of long-standing company relationships with shoppers resembling Viacom, Lionsgate, Newscorp, Fox, Time-Warner, Comcast NBCUniversal, Cablevision, Disney, CBS, Yahoo, Fb, Sony, Warner Music, Thomson Reuters, Bertelsmann, Vivendi, Dash, American Tower, Apollo, Bain, TPG, KKR, TH Lee and Blackstone, amongst others.

ABOUT NJPAC

The New Jersey Performing Arts Middle (NJPAC), positioned in downtown Newark, New Jersey, is among the many largest performing arts facilities in america. It’s the inventive, cultural, instructional and civic middle of New Jersey — the place nice performances and occasions improve and rework lives every single day. As New Jersey’s city sq., NJPAC brings various communities collectively, offering entry to all and showcasing the state’s and the world’s greatest artists, whereas appearing as a number one catalyst within the revitalization of its residence metropolis. Via its in depth Arts Education schemes, NJPAC is shaping the following era of artists and humanities lovers. NJPAC has attracted greater than 10 million guests (together with virtually 2 million kids) since opening its doorways in 1997, and nurtures significant and lasting relationships with every of its constituents. Go to www.njpac.org for extra data.

ABOUT LINDSAY GOLDBERG

Lindsay Goldberg is a non-public funding agency that focuses on partnering with households, founders and administration groups looking for to actively construct their companies. Since 2001, Lindsay Goldberg has raised greater than $17 billion of fairness capital and has invested in over
50 platform corporations and over 250 follow-on alternatives. For extra data, go to www.lindsaygoldbergllc.com.

ABOUT MATRIX DEVELOPMENT GROUP

Matrix Improvement Group is a privately held, full-service actual property funding and growth firm with places of work in New Jersey. The corporate is an energetic investor and
developer of business, industrial, residential, and golf and hospitality properties all through the Northeast and mid-Atlantic areas. Since its founding in 1979, the corporate has developed a multi-billion greenback actual property portfolio that has been acknowledged for its management by quite a few charitable, neighborhood and actual property organizations.

ABOUT GENSLER

Gensler is a world structure, design, and planning agency with 50 places throughout Asia, Europe, Australia, the Center East, and the Americas. Based in 1965, the agency serves greater than 3,300 energetic shoppers in just about each {industry}. Know-how improvements, new client behaviors, and the affect of the worldwide well being disaster are driving media workplaces, studios, newsrooms, and campuses to embrace change. Gensler companions with shoppers to ship tailor-made design options which are purpose-built to adapt to new expectations. We create compelling workplaces that assist industry-leading media shoppers appeal to inventive expertise, create a rewarding office expertise and linked tradition, and forge new territory whereas staying rooted in authenticity. Gensler’s media shoppers embody NFL Media, DreamWorks, Comcast, Washington Publish, New York Instances, Conde Nast, and Audacy.

Architectural renderings of the studio can be found right here.