Netflix’s Massive NJ Film Studio Moves Forward At Old Fort Monmouth Army Base

OCEANPORT, NJ — Netflix has been selected to open a massive film production studio at Fort Monmouth, if a price can be agreed upon between the streaming giant and the government authority that owns all the land on the former military base.

Fort Monmouth is the former U.S. Army base in Monmouth County that was shut down by the federal government in 2011, and decommissioned. The fort property is 1,127 acres in total.

If the deal goes through, Netflix will purchase 298 acres on the base and open TV/movie production studios that will span blocks. It would be Netflix's second biggest film studio in the world, rivaling their existing New Mexico film studios, which sit on 300 acres outside Albuquerque.

The news was confirmed by Netflix Wednesday morning. Netflix said they plan to build "across" the entire 298 acres, but not at the fort's parade grounds.

"While there is still work to be done with the Economic Development Authority to finalize the deal, we are thrilled that FMERA's preferred choice is our proposal for a state-of-the-art production complex," said a Netflix spokesperson. "If our plans are approved, we hope to build a facility that will create significant economic impact and job growth for New Jersey."

In June of this year, Netflix placed a bid to purchase the land from the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority (FMERA), the government entity that owns all the land on the base.

Three other companies, all of them real estate development firms, also placed bids to buy or lease that parcel of land.

Until today, FMERA has not made a decision on which bidder they selected for the property. But it was widely assumed Netflix would be chosen as the top bidder, as Gov. Phil Murphy strongly backs Netflix coming to New Jersey.

However, Netflix and FMERA have not yet agreed on a sale price for the 298 acres, and there is no signed agreement of sale between the company and the government. Over the next few months, FMERA and Netflix still need to "finalize economic terms of the deal," said the Netflix spokesperson Wednesday.

FMERA's executive director Kara Kopach made it clear they have not agreed on a sale price with Netflix.

"FMERA will make no further representations to the potential purchase of property until the staff is prepared to recommend the approval of a fully negotiated purchase and sale agreement and redevelopment agreement to the FMERA board," she told the Asbury Park Press Wednesday, the day Netflix announced they had been selected.

The board of the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority includes Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, NJ DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette, Dept. of Transportation Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti and the mayors of Eatontown, Oceanport and Tinton Falls.

It was Murphy who initially wooed Netflix to come to New Jersey: In April of 2021 he sent a letter to the studio heads at Netflix, Disney and Warner Bros. trying to lure them with tax breaks to make movies and TV shows in the Garden State.

In that letter, Murphy specifically criticized Georgia's voter ID laws and said voter ID should factor into their decision to leave Georgia and come to New Jersey.

“I’ve watched the recent decisions coming from the Georgia State House with disappointment. Restricting the right to vote is more than just wrong, it’s un-American,” Murphy wrote in his letter, obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. "Our new $14.5 billion economic incentive package makes the Garden State just as competitive as Georgia to attract film and television production businesses. One thing is clear: when it comes to social policies, corporate responsibility, and — not to be overlooked — economic opportunity, New Jersey is now a top contender for your business.”

Murphy offered the film studios tax credits equal to what Georgia currently offers: Tax credits up to 30 percent of production costs and a 40-percent tax credit for any studio that opens brick-and-mortar offices, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Murphy said if Netflix opens the film production studio, it will bring "high-quality, good-paying jobs to our state." Netflix said they want to come to New Jersey because "the state is loaded with creative talent and technical expertise.”

A small group of Monmouth County residents say they are skeptical Netflix will bring permanent jobs (they say Netflix will pick up and relocate if and when another state offers them more lucrative tax incentives), and they criticized the tax breaks from the Murphy administration. They formed the website No2Netflix.

Fort Monmouth straddles the towns of Tinton Falls, Oceanport and Eatontown. Huge swaths of the base have sat empty and abandoned for more than a decade now.

But Fort Monmouth is currently witnessing an unprecedented redevelopment boom: There are now luxury townhouses for rent and for sale on the property, a high-end gym called the Fort Athletic Club, and a brewery will open in the old Army grocery store this weekend.

Development boom at Fort Monmouth: Part Of Fort Monmouth Converted To Private Homes, Rentals (March 2021)

Ft. Monmouth Building Boom: Townhomes, Waterfront Walkway Coming (March 2021)