Smartphone displaying the Netflix logo. Image: Pe3check/Depositphotos
Netflix says its new US production hub could create up to 1,000 jobs annually.
New Mexico is the US state that will be home to a brand new Netflix production hub. According to the streaming behemoth, the ABQ Studios facility in Albuquerque will bring upwards of $1bn in production money to the state, as well as 1,000 production jobs annually.
Putting down roots in New Mexico
The New Mexico government will provide up to $10m of Local Economic Development Act funding for Netflix’s purchase of ABQ Studios, in Albuquerque’s Mesa del Sol community. While the company has several sound-stages, this is its first purchase of a standalone studio.
The facility in New Mexico has nine stages and has been the site of shows such as Better Call Saul and Logan. Shows such as Messiah and Chambers are already being produced around the state by Netflix. Previous productions in the area include Godless and Longmire.
Ty Warren, vice-president of physical production at Netflix, said: “Our experience producing shows and films in New Mexico inspired us to jump at the chance to establish a new production hub here. The people, the landscape and the facilities are all stellar and we can’t wait to get to work – and employ lots of New Mexicans – creating entertainment for the world to enjoy.”
It makes sense for the company to be setting up a hub in New Mexico, as the state offers many tax incentives and financial perks that make it a more cost-effective location to film in.
Netflix expands across US
Netflix recently began significant expansions at its Los Angeles offices, including a lease signed through to 2031 on a 13-storey Hollywood tower, which is set to be completed in 2020.
The ABQ purchase shows Netflix is very serious about its future as an original-content creator, as well as a platform for content from other studios. Given the fierce competition out there from the likes of Amazon Prime and Hulu, the company is gearing itself up for a major productivity boost. In 2017, Netflix announced it would be spending a staggering $8bn on original content alone, with the eventual goal of making half of its content in-house.
As far as the streaming competitors go, the company is still far ahead of its rivals and accounts for a staggering amount of the world’s internet traffic, according to recent research.
Smartphone displaying the Netflix logo. Image: Pe3check/Depositphotos
