Studio Center piling up production interest, bills | Times-Herald and Sunday Times Newspapers.
ALLEN PARK – The Studio Center project is making progress, officials say, but it is costing the city a good chunk of change.
Ferndale-based S3 Entertainment Group recently was hired to manage film operations at the enter. It joins Southfield-based Real Estate Development and Investment Co. – better known as REDICO – in managing the 104-acre property on Southfield Road, south of I-94.
“We have a memorandum of agreement for them to manage us,” Mayor Gary Burtka said of S3. “REDICO is only involved with marketing of the property and management of the tenants. S3’s goals and objectives (are) to bring in projects.”
REDICO will focus on facilities management, operation and leasing for the complex, while S3 will focus on securing films and production for the film-focused campus.
The latter firm could bring several new businesses to the Studio Center and is one of the companies responsible for getting “Gran Torino” filmed in Michigan two years ago.
“We know S3 has proven they’ve been involved with movies in Michigan,” Burtka said. “They’ve been around a few years. In the discussions with them, there’s five businesses associated with productions. We’re looking at maximizing the opportunities.”
The new management agreement came within a week of a July 13 City Council payment approval for nearly $444,000 to REDICO. The city, however, had only $232,000 in available funds and city officials said the $211,000 shortfall could not be paid off through bond funds.
However, Burtka said he believes everyone had been paid, but deferred the question to City Administrator Eric Waidelich, who did not respond to messages left throughout the week seeking comment about how the shortfall would be addressed. Numbers for the total amount of money spent on the Studio Center’s development also were not readily available at press time.