Not everyone is happy about the announcement that movie mogul Tyler Perry plans to buy part of decommissioned Fort McPherson for a huge movie studio. Sen. Vincent Fort (D-Atlanta) called the move a “secret back room deal” on his Facebook page and asked the Secretary of the Army to intervene in the redevelopment so the community’s plans can be taken into consideration.
Fort said in a press conference that residents living around the fort had put in hundreds of hours and years of work to turn the 500-acre property in southwest Atlanta into a science and technology park. He said the City of Atlanta and the McPherson Implementing Local Redevelopment Authority (MILRA) made a deal with Perry without any community input.
On Friday, it was announced that the MILRA had approved a resolution authorizing a memorandum of understanding on the sale of part of Fort McPherson to Tyler Perry Studios. The tentative $30 million agreement will allow Tyler Perry Studios to expand its production operations on 330 acres of the property, while allowing MILRA to retain over 144 acres for economic development purposes. No city funds would be used to close this transaction.
Tyler Perry Studios will build 15 or 16 of sound stages, which is expected to add over 8,000 new jobs to Atlanta, including the relocation of 350 jobs. Additional green space, new streetscapes and transit improvements are also being negotiated.
