Construction Set to Begin on New Netflix Complex

Work on the highly anticipated $903 million production complex at Fort Monmouth began with a private groundbreaking ceremony yesterday, where Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos and state officials officially kicked off the first phase of construction. The complex will cover 289 acres in Eatontown and Oceanport, with plans for 12 soundstages that will cover nearly 500,000 square feet. Along with the soundstages, the complex will include production offices, a hotel, retail shops, a theater, helipad, water tanks for filming, and dedicated spaces for crew and talent, including a campus for production teams. The construction will take place in two distinct phases. The first phase will focus on the McAfee Zone in Oceanport . In August, Eatontown’s planning board is expected to review Netflix’s proposal for the second phase, which will include the remaining eight soundstages. Once fully operational, the studio is projected to create 1,400 permanent jobs and up to 3,500 temporary construction jobs. For Brookdale Public Radio News, I’m Stefanie Worton.