Fort Lauderdale, FL on Wednesday formally announced a partnership to build a movie studio on the 60-acre site of the former Wingate Road municipal incinerator dump, with the hopes of increasing jobs in the area. Connecticut entertainment company Infinite Reality will be the primary tenant.

Mayor Dean Trantalis said the city was first approached in 2021 about the idea of building a movie studio on the property, which has sat vacant for decades. The plan now in development will include full-service movie, television and streaming production studios, as well as multiple large sound stages, said John Milledge, an attorney for the project. Early plans also call for a minimum of 100,000 square feet of offices, indoor and outdoor film sets, a film school and a back lot.

Fort Lauderdale Studio Initiative LLC, a corporation spearheaded by developer Michael Ullian, and Infinite Reality will pay for construction costs. A 2022 presentation to the City Commission noted the cost of construction and development would be $163.9 million.