Murphy clears Netflix's path to Fort Monmouth

Milestone will allow company to move forward, seek approval of planned 'Hollywood of the East'

By: Dan Radel
Asbury Park Press
USA Today Network - New Jersey

OCEANPORT - Governor Phil Murphy has started the clock on an amendment to update Fort Monmouth's reuse plan so what was once an Army base focused on military electronic communications can become a motion picture, television and broadcast studio campus, spreading Netflix entertainment electronically around the world.
..... The milestone, marked on November 3 [2023] by the attendance of dozens of local elected officials, union bosses and Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, essentially allows Netflix to proceed with drafting its final site plan to build its East Coast production hub at the former Army Fort.
..... The amendment now goes to the fort host towns of Eatontown, Oceannport and Tinton Falls for a 45-day review period.
..... It was a simple step in the bureaucratic process of boodling at the fort, but a pivotal one.
..... Without it, Netflix would not be allowed to go froward to the next stage -a 36-month approval process in which it must get the OK for tis site plan from the local planning broads of two fort towns, Eatontown and Oceanport, and myriad county and state permits and approvals. Only after that can it finally costs on the sale and begin construction.
..... "as they say at Fort Monmouth, that's a wrap," Murphy joked as he inked the document to start the amendment review, and then handed the ceremonial pen to Sarandos, whom Murphy lured to New Jersey with a generous tax incentive package that has gone a long way in restoring New Jersey's potential place as a leader in the film industry.
..... Or, as Murphy said it, assuring new Jersey will be the new "Hollywood of the East."
..... Netflix could still pull out of the deal down the road, but it has cleared the hurdles so far, Last December [2022] it won the bid for the 292-acre Mega Parcel and it did not balk during the due diligence period, despite the fact that it has a ton of demolition work ahead of it - about 100 old Army buildings that will need to be cleared before it can build its sound stages, back-lots and ancillary buildings. It's an investment of nearly $1 billion.
..... But on November 3, 2023] Murphy, Sarandos (who was born in Long Branch), the union labor leaders, and local and state elected officials took a brief pause to share in the vision and promise that Netflix can bring to the area.
..... "we could not be here today [11/03/2023] without your remarkable leadership and vision," Sarandos said to Murphy when it was his turn to speak at the lectern at the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority (FMERA) administrative office on brewer Street.
..... There's a lot to do, for sure, but it's incredible to come this far. it takes a village, and we certainly found that here in New Jersey."

Job promises

..... Sarandos, who has known Murphy since his wife, Nicole Avant, and Murphy served as ambassadors during former President Barack Obama;s administration,, said Netflix Studios For Monmouth will drive significant economic growth and create meaningful short-term jobs for skilled union workers who will build the studios and permanent jobs for the theatrical union members who will work on the film and movie productions once it's complete.
..... "By Netflix choosing Fort Monmouth as its East Coast hub, billions of dollars will be added to New Jersey;s economy. It will cerate meaningful, long-lasting jobs for generations to come," said Greg Hanco, president of the local chapter 59 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees.
..... All told, Netflix has agreed to create 3,500 jobs during peak construction and between 1,400 to 2,200 permanent jobs once complete.
..... However, the economic impact will be much greater, as the studios are expected to boost the area's small businesses as workers will shop at local stores, use local caterers, or need to find housing, not to mention the tourist traffic.
..... Netflix predicts tis economic impact on New Jersey over the next two decades alone will equal $3.8 to $4.6 billion.
..... "This is going to change a lot of lives, and I don't think we're going to fully understand the impact this actually happens," said State Senator Vin Gopal, D-Monmouth.

The subplot

..... In 2008, a reused plan was created in anticipation of the fort's closure in 2011. The plan serves as a the mast4er plan. Any time a new sue is proposed that was not in the original reuse plan, the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority must pass an amendment to the reuse plan.
..... The 292 acres of the Mega Parcel that Netflix is under contact to buy was not part of the original reuse plan, but was sewn together two years ago from several parcels that FMERA, had difficulty selling in order to pave the way for Netflix.
..... and a film and television studio campus was also not part of the reuse plan fro the mega Parcel properties, hence the need for Amendment 20 to the reuse plan.

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