Producer meets rent deadline for a proposed movie studio

Jeffrey Libby

Monday, Nov. 4, 2002 | 11:03 a.m.

Producer Anna Marie Davis today delivered a check for $117,360 in back rent for a proposed movie studio, Finance Director Bob Kenney said.

The delivery appears to fulfill the first deadline of a $59,400 annual lease approved by the Boulder City Council two weeks ago. The council approved the lease despite concerns about Davis' ability to attract investors.

"There is a question," Mayor Bob Ferraro said today. "We still have to call the bank to see if there are funds in the account it's been drawn on."

The city planned to call the bank after it opened at 9 a.m., Ferraro said.

Davis said the check is good, noting that the previous tenant of the hangar paid $1 a year while trying unsuccessfully to get a science center up and running. The back rent for Davis covers about two years.

"I've gathered a group of seasoned professionals, studio facility managers and production and development management," Davis said. "We are going forward, whether it's in Boulder City or another location. It could be New Mexico."

Davis is working with consultants to obtain $2 million in private financing to renovate a World War II-era hangar and install sound stages. She has 120 days to submit building plans to the city. Eventually, Davis plans to build a media park on surrounding land.

Davis first rented the hangar in October 2000 and proposed the $44 million movie studio in August 2001.

Davis talked informally about requiring a 100-acre lease as recently as April, but by Oct. 22, asked the City Council for a lease of just 3.1 acres, with the ability to lease future development based on building footprints rather than land used. Because it is proposed for land south of the Nevada Highway in the city's redevelopment area, the city has offered to pay $3.3 million through redevelopment bonds to bring electricity, roads and landscaping to the studio.