Written by new-contact on Dec 12, 2014. Posted in On Location

Second studio planned for Miami as Florida prepares latest film fund push

A new film studio is being planned for development in Miami as Florida’s production industry prepares for its latest push to have its film fund increased. Miami hosted the long-running TV spy drama Burn Notice but has since found challenges in attracting new productions.

Miami Ocean Studios Enterprises wants to build a new 900,000 sq ft film facility with multiple sound stages and post-production resources.

A separate facility, the Miami Entertainment Complex, in fact went into development in November and is scheduled to be opened by next summer.

The facility is being built by retrofitting an existing building to offer a pair of 15,000 sq ft sound stages and the finished studio will be leased to EUE/Screen Gems Studios for ten years.

“We are very excited that the construction of the Miami Entertainment Complex is underway and on schedule,” said Pieter Bockweg of the Omni Community Redevelopment Agency, in comments to Miami Today.

“Last week, with the appropriate permits in place, the interior demolition began, and this week parts of the roof of the existing building will be removed to accommodate for the future studio’s new ceiling height.”

We are very excited that the construction of the Miami Entertainment Complex is underway and on schedule.

Pieter Bockweg, Omni Community Redevelopment Agency

The production industry in Florida is in the midst of a long-term campaign to secure additional funding for the state’s filming incentive. Florida officially offers a base 20% filming tax credit but for the past few years has had no money to fund it. Authorities are hopeful that the Miami Entertainment Complex specifically will bring more producers to the state.

Florida faces stiff competition from neighbouring Georgia, which has a thriving film industry based in Atlanta.