1888 Studios Breaks Ground on New Jersey’s Largest Film & Television Production Campus

Ceremony special guests include 1888 Studios Chairman Arpad “Arki” Busson, Paramount Head of Global Operations Jose Turkienicz, Governor Phil Murphy and First Lady Tammy Murphy, Senator Raj Mukherji, Assemblyperson Eliana Pintor-Marin, Hudson County Executive Craig Guy, Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis, NJEDA CEO Tim Sullivan

Groundbreaking Ceremony Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUaDhVOn1c8

Renderings: Access Drive (Courtesy of Togus Urban Renewal)

1888 Studios today marked a milestone moment with the groundbreaking of its transformative film and television production campus, set to become the largest purpose-built facility of its kind in New Jersey – and one of the largest in the nation. The development is designed to meet the evolving needs of world-class filmmakers and storytellers, positioning New Jersey at the forefront of the global entertainment industry.

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L-R: Tim Sullivan, Flynn Busson, Jose Turkienicz, Tammy Murphy, Phil Murphy, Arki Busson, Craig Guy, Jimmy Davis, Raj Mukherji, Elliana Pintor-Marin; Courtesy of Ivan Piedra Photography

“Today marks more than a ceremonial groundbreaking. It is the realization of a bold vision to establish Bayonne as a global entertainment powerhouse in entertainment production – a place where the world’s greatest stories will be brought to life,” Arpad “Arki” Busson, Chairman, 1888 Studios, said in his remarks. “Created for movie makers by movie makers, 1888 Studios will be a world-class home for the industry’s greatest storytellers – offering scale, state-of-the-art technology, and a creative environment unlike any other.”

In his acknowledgements, Busson expressed immense gratitude for the dedication and relentless advocacy of the many partners and state and local leaders who made this milestone possible, including Governor Phil Murphy and First Lady Tammy Murphy, Senator Raj Mukherji (NJ-32), Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor-Marin (NJ-29), Hudson County Executive Craig Guy, Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis, New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA)’s Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan, and Head of Global Operations at Paramount, a Skydance Corporation, (“Paramount”) (NASDAQ: PSKY), Jose Turkienicz.

Busson concluded, “Together, we are positioning New Jersey as a cornerstone of global entertainment. As we break ground today, imagine what will rise here: a 58-acre film and TV production campus consisting of 23 state-of-the-art sound stages, a 22-acre water backlot, and over a million square feet where the next generation of iconic stories will be born.”

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy took the stage to emphasize the project’s economic and cultural significance for the state. “As the birthplace of the motion picture industry, we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate the groundbreaking of 1888 Studios in Bayonne – a project that represents another chapter in world-class film and television production here in the Garden State.” Governor Murphy added, “With Paramount already committing to a multi-year, 285,000-square-foot lease, 1888 Studios will expand on New Jersey’s reputation as a premier creative hub on the East Coast and create new opportunities for our residents. This project will generate thousands of new jobs, support small businesses, spark economic growth in Hudson County, and bring creators and storytellers from around the globe to our communities.”

First Lady Tammy Murphy spoke to the collaborative spirit behind the project: “This is what we should be doing in New Jersey. We should share our incredible mountains, our wetlands, our beaches, our casinos, our cities. We got it all going on here, and everybody knows it, so why not bring film back? And boy, has it been an adventure. This has been a full team sport across our entire state. We are going places in New Jersey. But it's not because one person or two people tried to do something. It is a complete, non partisan — just ‘Jersey chutzpah’ — effort to say, ‘this is where you should be.’”

Paramount recently signed a landmark minimum 10-year lease agreement with 1888 Studios, committing to occupy more than 285,000 square feet of the facility and establishing a major production hub in New Jersey. Paramount’s commitment further cements the state as a premier destination for film and television production, backed by a leading tax incentive program.

Andy Gordon, Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Paramount, said: “Today represents an exciting milestone as we deepen our investment in U.S. production, fuel the creative economy, and help bring jobs to New Jersey and the U.S. Thanks to the strong partnership between New Jersey, 1888 Studios and Paramount, we’re building a foundation to create stories that will resonate around the world, and we’re proud to contribute to a thriving ecosystem that supports jobs, opportunity, and world-class entertainment.”

“Today’s groundbreaking marks a new era in Bayonne, and we are excited for the film industry to plant roots here in this great city,” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan. “1888 Studios will be a world-class studio campus with Paramount occupying more than 285,000 square feet of production space. 1888 and Paramount’s commitment to New Jersey exemplifies our position as a leader in film and television production and is a testament that our incentive program, revived and strengthened by Governor Murphy and the Legislature, is creating a welcoming environment for the film industry, leading to thousands of new jobs and a stronger economy across the state.”

Expected to attract marquee productions, generate thousands of jobs, and catalyze sustainable growth for the state’s entertainment sector, 1888 Studios continues to engage additional tenants and industry leaders to further strengthen the campus’ role as a hub for innovation and creativity and drive new opportunities for local talent, businesses, and the broader community.

About 1888 Studios

Blending New Jersey’s cinematic legacy with state-of-the-art facilities, 1888 Studios will be up to 1.6 million square-foot film and television studio development in Bayonne, poised to be the Northeast’s largest – and one of the largest in the nation – premier production campus, intentionally designed with superior infrastructure and support facilities to empower world-class creators. Uniquely located in Bayonne, NJ, less than 30 minutes from downtown Manhattan and unrivaled access by train, car, helicopter, and boat, 1888 Studios will sit in the core of one of the largest studio markets in the world, within the union-mandated 25-mile studio zone centered on Columbus Circle. Utilizing 1888 Studios’ all-inclusive facility will allow the world's most innovative creators to benefit from both its Film-Lease Partner Facility designation and the New Jersey expansive tax program – one of the leading programs in the world – creating cost-saving operational efficiencies that will result in a near-limitless canvas for creativity.

1888 Studios’ campus will fulfill the region’s pressing need for a purposefully built facility to house film and television under one roof, including the ability to power large-scale filmmaking technologies such as LED volume capture. The campus will be home to 23 state-of-the-art smart stages ranging from 18,000 square feet to 60,000 square feet with a minimum of 40-foot clear ceilings to the grid and catwalks. Further features include over 10 acres of basecamp parking, dedicated on-site five-story parking garage, a massive 22-acre water backlot privately owned by the studio, and conveniently located on-site industry vendors, including a dedicated lighting and grip facility. Created for movie makers by movie makers, 1888 Studios will provide a dynamic environment that puts the creatives at the forefront of all campus decision making, while providing unparalleled opportunities for cost-effectiveness.

For more information on 1888 Studios, visit https://1888studios.com.

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