At its Dec. 19 meeting, the city’s Environmental Planning Commission heard hours-long testimony for and against the proposed Mesa Film Studios on the West Side.
The 60-acre film studio is estimated to create 25 jobs through direct hires, between 700 and 800 jobs through tenant productions, 723 indirect jobs supported by business services and 452 indirect jobs supported by household spending.
It will also have:
- Six stages, each approximately 20,000 square feet
- Two flex buildings; one at 12,000 square feet and the other 24,000 square feet
- A mill building to build and store sets and props, 80,000 square feet
- A permanent three-wall blue/green screen on the back lot
- 50,000 square feet of office space
Tom Jenkins, chairman of Economic Development teams for the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, spoke in support of Mesa Film Studios and explained that for more than a decade, there’s been no bigger private-sector success story for New Mexico than the film industry, and in Albuquerque there’s no greater need for jobs and private-sector development than on the West Side.
“Our City Council and mayor have already approved a lease with Mesa Film Studios and specifically listed the movie studio as an allowed use,” Jenkins said. “Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has been vocal with her support. The total investment is $85 million in just the first phase of the project. We at the Greater Albuquerque Chamber urge commissioners and the public to support this private-public partnership. Mesa Film Studios is the kind of smart, private-sector development that diversifies our economy and provides solid careers and good living for our residents.”
The commission approved the Mesa Film Studios project by a 7-1 vote.
During its November meeting, the commission had deferred the vote because the commission did not properly follow public notification procedures — missing the deadline by a few days. The commission was concerned that if approved in November, the notification violation could make the project susceptible to appeals.
According to officials, people have until Jan. 6 to appeal the EPC decision. If there is no appeal, the next steps include a review by the design review team, as well as a meeting with the development facilitation team. The project has to go through a completion of a subdivision process before it can submit building permits. The goal is to break ground in the new year.