We're frequently asked about the progress/plans of Santa Fe Studios, and are happy to report that everything is, at this point, on schedule for a late 2009-early 2010 opening.
For the uninitiated, Santa Fe studios is a massive, 65 acre film complex planned for the south end of Santa Fe, on Highway 14, across from the prison. It will feature several sound stages (two of them, when combined, may be the largest in the world), a large back-lot, on-site mill, and an industry-supporting complex featuring office space, commercial space, as well as a school/training complex, and more. It is planned to be built in stages, with the studio space and critical support to come in first. Even better, it is going to be built with green standards, and in alignment with Anasazi principles of alignment to the landscape and stars. And it will be built in Santa Fe/Adobe style to blend in. There's a lot more amazing things planned, but we don't want to spoil anything. Just know that its planned to be a serious, world-class film destination.
So, what does this mean for the New Mexico Film Industry, or, more specifically, Santa Fe? Currently, Albuquerque Studios provides the state's only full-fledged, large scale, full-time production studio, and they are booked solid. The addition of Santa Fe Studios will dramatically increase the overall production capacity of the state, meaning that more, and more large scale productions will be able to shoot here. Albuquerque Studios has just hosted a massive film - Terminator 4 - and we can expect more of that kind of production as the support infrastructure, and crew and services base expands.
While it is always tricky to give economic impact stats, we can safely say that the addition of Santa Fe Studios will provide a substantial boost to the local - and regional - economy, providing high wage jobs, and offering hundreds of individuals and businesses the opportunity to provide goods and services to the film industry.
We're thrilled at the developments of the New Mexico Film Industry, are are proud to be a part of something so dynamic, and with so much potential. We'll try to keep you posted on all of the most important development on what's going on in the industry. If you've got some news or information, send it our way -- info@crewnewmexico.com.
