ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – City councilors have signed off on a deal to bring even more moviemaking to Albuquerque. Netflix is planning a 300-acre expansion of its Mesa Del Sol Studios south of Albuquerque on both private and state trust land. As part of the agreement with the State Land Office, on Monday night, city councilors approved the leases necessary to make that happen.
The deal is expected to bring in another billion dollars in production. “There are benefits to the film industry workforce, increased economic activity in secondary businesses, and the fact that the project has boosted Albuquerque’s national and international profile,” said Synthia Jaramillo, Director of the Albuquerque Economic Development Department.
The expansion will include ten new stages, post-production facilities, production offices, mills, backlots, and training facilities, wardrobe suites, a commissary to support meals and craft services, and other flex buildings to support productions.
According to a news release, since 2018, Netflix has spent more than $200 million in the state, utilized more than 2,000 production vendors, and hired over 1,600 cast and crew members. The news release states that upon completion, the Albuquerque Netflix location will be one of the largest high-tech and sustainable film production facilities in North America.
The release says the investment will create an estimated 1,000 production jobs over the next ten years. An additional 1,467 construction jobs will be also created to complete the expansion.
