Unity Studios lands WAR Entertainment film biz

metromode, 12/17/2009

--This article originally appeared on November 12, 2009

Unity Studios has landed its first major outside tenant now that WAR Entertainment is moving its operations to its new studio in Allen Park.

The formerly Pittsburgh-based firm is packing up shop and moving to Unity Studios this week. The move will mean five new jobs at first and more once the film and TV production company begins its production schedule next year.

"Things just clicked," says Eric Cedo, spokesman for Unity Studios. "They saw opportunities to grow their business here in Michigan."

WAR Entertainment was founded by former Detroit Piston Dale Davis. The company found Unity Studios after its name came out on the top of a Google search for the words "film studio Michigan."

Unity Studios is in the first stages of transforming about 100 acres into a film studio space. The first phase calls for renovating a 600,000-square-foot building to add four feature-size sound stages on 10 acres. Each of the sound stages measures out at 25,000 square feet. Work on the first of those stages is set to begin later this month.

The building will also house the Lifton Institute of Media Skills and room for production support vendors. The Lifton Institute started offering classes earlier this fall.

The second and third phases include developing the 64 acres into Unity Village, a tourist destination with housing, retail, and complimentary commercial business. The whole project is worth $146 million.

Source: Eric Cedo, spokesman for Unity Studios
Writer: Jon Zemke

Film , Redevelopment , Wayne County