Lucasfilm Considers Getting Cozy with Dixon

Eva C May 1, 2012 at 03:44 pm

What an awesome opportunity for Dixon.

Dixon Resident May 1, 2012 at 05:32 pm

How can we help them decide Dixon is the place to be? Send them cards or e-mail them? If so, what's their address and is that a good idea?

Dixon Resident May 1, 2012 at 05:34 pm

With regard to the question posed above, I wouldn't mind providing an incentive if it won't bankrupt Dixon. Vancouver is very rainy but Mare Island is competitive because it's closer to Marin, where Mr. Lucas lives and has virtually the same climate whereas Dixon receives the valley heat.

Gary Erwin May 1, 2012 at 06:16 pm

Writing a letter or post card would be a good idea. Supporting our local officials and talking to community members about the project is a good way to have positive vibes in the community. Going to a planning commission meeting or City Council meeting and voicing your opinion and asking for Pedrick Road modifications would also be good.
Lucasfilm is P.O. Box 29901, San Francisco, CA 94129

Gary Erwin May 1, 2012 at 06:23 pm

Vancover has a huge advantage...Canadian dollar vs US dollar 2 cents on the dollar, low cost of living and a huge tax incentive.
Dixon should propose a five year tax break or something like that as well the county could throw in something. Dixon is a lot closer to Marin than Vancover so the distance to Dixon should not be a big deal.

Gary Erwin May 1, 2012 at 06:31 pm

Here is the British Columbia Film Councils tax incentive program.
http://www.bcfilmcommission.com/production/tax_incentives.php San Francisco Film Commission incentive program. http://www.filmsf.org/index.aspx?page=4 Vallejo incentive program. http://www.ci.vallejo.ca.us/GovSite/default.asp?serviceID1=519&Frame=L1

Gary Erwin May 1, 2012 at 06:36 pm

If you consider that our competition is Vancouver B.C. I would try to get a State Tax pass through for five years as well.

Bil Paul May 1, 2012 at 10:04 pm

Sometimes companies play one city against another to get the best tax breaks. Hey, then, why not PAY LucasFilm to come here? Of course, I'd love to have them here.

Chris Fullmer May 1, 2012 at 11:31 pm

Valley heat isn't bad - keeps employees inside with the air conditioning :)

Carlos Villatoro (Editor) May 2, 2012 at 03:29 am

The people in Vallejo have started a web site and try to get Lucasfilm brass to look at it. Maybe someone in Dixon can start something similar?

Debby Gabriel May 2, 2012 at 11:29 am

absolutely this would be a great opportunity for Dixon, how can we help them choose us (Dixon) to be the place for them.?

Just Saying May 2, 2012 at 11:30 am

The best argument for giving Lucas a tax break, or other incentives, to attract them is that there will be local jobs created to offset the cost. That means sales taxes for the surrounding area, home values improving which means more property taxes and jobs for our young people to stay in the area. It will put Dixon on the map. They're looking for large, cheap plots of land close to a pool of talented workers. We have that, plus more affordable housing and a bettter quality of life than Vallejo or Mare Island. How do the local politician stand on this?

Gary Erwin May 2, 2012 at 11:53 am

400 jobs during the two year construction phase.
200 jobs during post construction phase. Studio workers need prior experience and are represented by a union. The best way to help at this point is to support local government officials in chasing this and capturing it. Will need to modify Pedrick off ramp and widen Pedrick road, to do this we need County and State and Federal support. Schools need to be top notch and offer a quality well rounded education including shop classes, electrical, wood shop, wielding, metal shop, and stagecraft.

Gary Erwin May 2, 2012 at 12:39 pm

It would be better to go to City Council meetings and directly support the cause. A web site tends to pacify those that comment, direct support by attending a meeting is far superior. Imagine how impressive it is to see one hundred residents at a meeting. It sure beats 100 comments or signatures.

Gary Erwin May 2, 2012 at 05:14 pm

Yes there are also non union support jobs. Of the 200 post construction jobs I'm not sure how many are in each catagory.

Jack May 2, 2012 at 06:18 pm

Why are there no city council members commenting here? Someone should call and wake them up.

Gary Erwin May 2, 2012 at 07:49 pm

Sometimes silence is what's required.

Ian Arnold May 5, 2012 at 03:40 am

Helluva time to be without a redevelopment agency...

Sane Dixon Resident May 6, 2012 at 06:40 pm

The race track would have brought a lot on revenue and jobs to the area. Can someone tell me why this is all good and no bad?

Gary Erwin May 7, 2012 at 03:34 pm

Opponents of the race track cited gambling, crime, traffic, particulate matter in the air etc. as their reasons why the track should not have been built.
The group that opposed the track are aware of this project, the leader of the opposition group has to my knowledge given this a green light. Lucas has a past of being a good citizen and neighbor. It should be no different here. We should proceed in good faith expecting the same in return.

Gary Erwin May 7, 2012 at 03:40 pm

Model building was important at the Marin Studio, not so much anylonger...but you never know it might come back for selected productions.

Thom Bogue May 12, 2012 at 03:38 pm

I am all for this, I believe I can speak for the rest of the council in saying they are also behind it. I have also received good support from the community of the same.
But as with any venture it takes time, all we can do at this point is sit with our fingers crossed but know we are working on it. Ultimately it's up to Lucas Films.

Gary Erwin May 15, 2012 at 02:41 pm

In an article appearing in the North Bay Business Journal (May 14th) it is reported that Sonoma County is trying to lure the Lucasfilm Studios into their County.
The article continues on and reports that for every one hundred positions at the studio another two hundred and thirty five jobs would be created in local support businesses. The article sites a total of 350 new hires were slated for the proposed Marin Studios which translates to a eight hundred and twenty two supporting jobs for a total of one thousand one hundred and seventy two jobs created once the studio is in operation. This does not include construction jobs estimated at four hundred people for a two year period.

Gary Erwin May 31, 2012 at 10:35 pm

Marin's loss might be our saving grace.
http://novato.patch.com/articles/klyde-street-pets-moves-down-the-street

Gary Erwin June 1, 2012 at 03:38 pm

Kathleen Kennedy to succeed George Lucas atop Lucasfilm.
This is great news! Take a moment to read about Kathleen. http://www.deadline.com/2012/06/lucasfilms-names-kathleen-kennedy-as-co-chair/

Gary Erwin June 14, 2012 at 05:03 pm

Let’s wrap up the whole Lucasfilm Studio in Dixon subject…
As it turns out the studio offer, plan or idea emanated from a third party that had nothing to do with Lucasfilm at all. This third party just happened to come into view at the same time that the Lucasfilm Marin County Grady Ranch project was cancelled. With the cancellation of the development came hopes that the Studios could be build in another nearby community. This third party having proposed several other studio projects in the past was positioned to take maximum advantage of these communities’ hopes and dreams. After much hope on my part I soon became interested in why we had not officially heard anything from Lucasfilm. I started to look at the people involved in the offer and came to the conclusion that the third party offer had been made several times before over a time period of ten years and that none of the deals had taken off. All of the past press centered on one person who had opened several different production companies over the years, none of which seemed to still exist. Having found this information I decided to poor cold water on my dreams as well others and expose what I found. I emailed my information to several contacts within the city and elected officials as to get the news out. So there you go dear Dixonites, hopes dashed once again. Reality check has set in and it is time to move forward.

Gary Erwin July 26, 2012 at 07:46 pm

We scooped the truth out of the Lucasfilm story before both the Dixon Tribune and the Independent Voice. Thank you Carlos for your support!