SYDNEY -- Building developer Central City Studios has won the contract to build Melbourne's much-needed film and TV hub, it was revealed Wednesday local time.
The group beat Melbourne Film Studios, a consortium including filmmakers Nadia Tass and David Parker, and Paul Hameister's Melbourne Docklands Studios. Viacom-backed Docklands failed in a bid to develop a studio and theme park at the site two years ago.
The project, which has a A$40 million ($22 million) state government grant, will house production support companies and six sound stages on 7,061 sq meters at Melbourne's inner city docklands. It will also include a film school in accordance with CCS' pledged to back educational services.
The Victorian government backed the new studio last year after a taskforce ruled it needed the facility to climb out of an industry slump. Studio's charter will ensure it caters for domestic and international productions. Domestic productions cannot afford to use the sound stages at Queensland's Warners Studios and Sydney's Fox Studios.
Company's chairman is Peter Bartels, a former chief exec of Australia's largest retailer Coles-Myer, managing director Tim Barnett will oversee day-to-day operations.
CCS's partners in the project are Deacons lawyers, Multiplex construction, Deloittes Touche Tomatsu, HASSELL architects, Carl Byoir and Associates communications and White advertising and marketing.
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