Gray Television To Lease Assembly Atlanta Studios To NBCU

GEORGIA — NBCUniversal Media, LLC will soon begin filming in Georgia after signing a deal with Gray Television, Gray announced.

The entertainment brand will lease and operate Gray Television’s 43-acre state-of-the-art studio facilities at Gray’s Assembly Atlanta in Doraville, Gray announced. Assembly Atlanta is a 135-acre mixed-use real estate complex centered around the studio industry at the former site of the General Motors Assembly Plant. The studios in metropolitan Atlanta are scheduled to be completed in the second half of 2023, Gray announced.

The property borders the Interstate 285 Perimeter and is near the Atlanta neighborhood of Buckhead. In 2021, Gray assembled the real estate that today comprises Assembly Atlanta. Last year, Gray retained Atlanta-based The Gipson Company as the developer and construction manager and JLL as the strategic advisor for Assembly Atlanta.

“Gray Television is thrilled to expand our already strong relationship with NBCU,” said Gray’s Executive Chairman and CEO Hilton H. Howell, Jr. in a statement. “The new venture announced today places Gray’s own studio projects inside a large, first-class television and film production facility that will draw upon and will surely increase the large pool of skilled industry professionals who also make their homes here in the Atlanta metroplex.”

Construction began on roadways and infrastructure throughout the Assembly Studios complex last summer, and construction began on studio buildings for Gray’s Swirl Films late last year. Construction on NBCU’s facilities is expected to begin this summer, Gray announced. At that time, Gray expects to hire over 1,200 people to work in construction jobs on-site. Gray anticipates that the Assembly Studios complex will be completed in the second half of 2023.

Gray expects to hire over 4,000 people to work within Assembly Studios and Third Rail Studios, when fully operational, the company said. They anticipate that productions filmed there will bring thousands of additional new jobs in the community.

Outside of the Assembly Studios complex, current plans for Assembly Atlanta include mixed use and commercial buildings around a town center concept when completed in the next five to seven years.

The long-term development plans include a boutique hotel, townhouses and apartments, entertainment venues including e-gaming facilities, a conference center, and office buildings.
The properties, including the landscaped streets, parks, and green space, will be designed to enable location shooting throughout Assembly Atlanta for productions filming within the soundstages of Assembly Studios.