From the beginning, the goal of the Television City Project has been to preserve and modernize the site as a studio, retain and create entertainment industry jobs, and improve the Beverly/Fairfax community through investments in walkability and public safety. We are disappointed, but sadly no longer surprised, to see this small, well-funded opposition continue its disingenuous campaign to destroy this much-needed studio Project. Despite extensive reporting on Hollywood’s slow recovery and accelerating runaway production, deep-pocketed and self-interested stakeholders remain steadfast in their desire to maintain the status quo rather than support the benefits the Project would bring to both the Los Angeles entertainment industry and the Beverly/Fairfax community.
At every step of this process, support for Television City has been overwhelming. We have listened to community stakeholders, made meaningful and responsive changes to the Project based on their input, and are proud to have built a coalition of more than 4,000 local residents, organizations, non-profits, environmental groups, unions, and small businesses, including, among many others, the Mid City West Neighborhood Council, Park La Brea Residents Association, Fairfax Business Association, Melrose Business Improvement District, Jewish Family Services, The Los Angeles Conservancy, LA/OC Building and Construction Trades, Women in Media, Streetlights, Ghetto Film School, and Coalition for Clean Air. This broad support for the Project was demonstrated most recently at the Project’s Hearing Officer hearing, where almost all public comments from local neighbors and businesses were in full support of the Project. We are grateful that the Beverly/Fairfax community resoundingly supports the TVC Plan and sees through the scare tactics and misinformation promoted by Project opponents.
Over the past five years, we have repeatedly met with Project opponents to listen to their concerns and identify mutually acceptable solutions. Although many of their demands would render the studio operationally infeasible, we have nevertheless made extensive refinements and reductions to the Project to alleviate their alleged concerns. Yet, every concession we’ve made has been followed by shifting priorities and goalposts, new demands, and an unwillingness to reach a reasonable compromise. Despite our responsive and good-faith efforts, it has become increasingly clear that the opponents have only one goal – to delay and kill this studio Project, even at the expense of our City’s entertainment industry and the countless families whose livelihood depends on it.
The opposition’s latest press release reveals an effort organized by wealthy businessowners using their deep pockets and political muscle to fund a campaign that puts private gain over the needs of the City, the studio jobs the Project would create, and the people in the entertainment industry who are the heartbeat of Los Angeles. This latest batch of coordinated appeals does not raise new substantive issues and mostly regurgitates comments that have already been fully addressed by the City.
Our community outreach has always been guided by a sincere desire to be a good neighbor. We will continue to actively engage with all stakeholders – including Project skeptics – and know that when folks take the time to learn the facts about the Project, they’re nearly always converted into supporters. We are grateful to the thousands of neighbors, workers, and businesses in this community that support TVC and are hopeful the City will listen to the thousands of Beverly/Fairfax residents and stakeholders and industry professionals advocating for approval of this studio Project. There is no more urgent time to support the Television City Project than now.
