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After several public meetings on the merits of its proposed digital studio in Lucas Valley, Skywalkers Properties LTD. decided to withdraw its application for the project.
"The level of bitterness and anger expressed by the homeowners in Lucas Valley has convinced us that, even if we were to spend more time and acquire the necessary approvals, we would not be able to maintain a constructive relationship with our neighbors," the company stated in a press release Tuesday.
The 270,000-square-foot production studio, known as Grady Ranch, . , and the
According to Skywalker Properties, several movie projects they planned to shoot on sound stages at Grady Ranch are already in production and they can't wait for an approval.
"We have several opportunities to build the production stages in communities that see us as a creative asset, not as an evil empire, and if we are to stay on schedule we must act on those opportunities," the statement said.
Grady Ranch is one of three properties owned by filmmaker Geroge Lucas. The Skywalker and Big Rock ranches are located nearby the proposed Grady Ranch land. As the company grew, LucasFilm relocated the majority of their employees from Marin to San Francisco's Presidio due to the belief that Marin would not support the size of their facilities in a residential area.
The company managed to build Skywalker Ranch after a one year master plan approval and another year for the precise development plan approval, but it took over 10 years for the county to approve the master plans for Big Rock and Grady ranches.
Many of the project’s supporters believe Grady Ranch would bolster economic growth by providing construction jobs now and high-paying technical jobs in the long term.
The Marin Economic Forum estimates that the withdrawal will result in a total of $216 million in lost revenue. The project would've created 690 jobs, with 463 jobs for the two-year construction phase.
"Every 100 employees hired by Lucas Company Productions to use within the new facility, there would be an additional 276 jobs created in Marin County," Marin Economic Forum interim CEO Robert Eyler told the Planning Commission in February.
"We're devastated," said Cynthia L. Murray, President of the North Bay Leadership Council. "LucasFilm is iconic and it's a tremendous loss to have them go elsewhere."
Challengers are not convinced that the economic boost would make up for the project’s scale and design, which some say is not consistent with the residential scenic area, or the potential environmental impact the project could have on the downstream of Miller Creek.
"We are surprised by Lucasfilm's announcement," the Lucas Valley Estates Homeowners Association said in a statement. "There were clearly many factors involved in making this decision. We are sure that it was made with consideration for what is best for Lucasfilm."
Skywalker Properties plans to sell the land and revert it back to residential use.
"We love working and living in Marin," the statement said, "but the residents of Lucas Valley have fought this project for 25 years, and enough is enough.
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