$60M Illinois complex delayed for review, but signals production’s growing shift beyond the coasts

A new studio development in America’s heartland is aiming to join the country’s expanding map of film production hubs — though it’ll have to navigate a few wetlands first.

Hollywood River Studios, a planned $60 million soundstage and entertainment complex in Wood River, Illinois, has postponed its groundbreaking until spring 2026 after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requested additional environmental review. Despite the delay, developer Chris Breakwell says construction could move faster than expected once the green light is given.

“We’re still moving forward,” said Breakwell, CEO of WR Farm Investments LLC, which acquired 105 acres of city-owned land over the summer. “We’ve been knee-deep in engineers, but once we start, our modular design means we can go vertical fast. We expect to have at least three stages open by next fall.”

Located about 20 miles north of St. Louis, the studio’s six planned soundstages and esports arena would make it one of the Midwest’s most ambitious film infrastructure projects — part of a national realignment that’s seeing new stages rise not only in California and New York, but also across New Jersey, Georgia, Texas, and the Carolinas. The project mirrors similar regional efforts worldwide, as countries from Thailand to Hungary to the U.K. expand rebates and build modern facilities to capture the booming demand for global content.

Breakwell, who previously transformed a defunct Pittsburgh steel mill into the acclaimed 31st Street Studios, said the new Illinois complex will blend production, esports, and creative tech under one roof. “We’re not just building soundstages — we’re creating an ecosystem for storytelling,” he said.

While the delay pushes the formal groundbreaking to April 2026, Breakwell plans to begin marketing the facility during construction, citing the long lead times typical in film and TV scheduling. “You start locking in space months ahead of production,” he explained.

Momentum for Midwest filmmaking has been building since the St. Louis–shot feature Soul on Fire, starring William H. Macy, premiered earlier this month. The production showcased the region’s strong workforce and affordability — key ingredients for attracting more studio-scale projects inland.

“Why go to the coasts when you can shoot in the middle of the country, with great labor and strong incentives?” said Soul on Fire director Sean McNamara, who expressed interest in future collaborations at the film’s local premiere.

If realized, Hollywood River Studios could represent a new frontier for U.S. production geography — proof that Hollywood’s next boom might not be on the oceanfront, but in the center of the country, where land, labor, and opportunity still meet at scale.