Business
Business

Should S. Georgia officials cut bait on massive movie complex plans?

By Matt Kempner
Sept 4, 2015

Georgia has gotten big into movie making, and production sites are popping up. But none are as big as what a company that goes by two names, Moon River Studios and FONU2, says it will do in Effingham County near Savannah.

Like any great drama, there are risks and rewards.

Moon River says it will create lots of jobs and turn moving-making into a production line operation not unlike making cars.

A local development authority gave the company a sweetheart lease on more than 1,500 acres of public land, tax free and with no rent for the first two years.

But the project is far behind schedule. Construction of the first building has yet to begin, and Moon River doesn’t have enough money to keep operating for long, much less to build studios.

A happy ending is far from certain.

ExploreFind out more about the drama in Matt Kempner’s Unofficial Business column on myAJC.com.

About the Author

Matt Kempner is an award-winning journalist who seeks out intriguing twists about people and subjects beyond what the AJC might typically cover. A former columnist and editor, his past assignments have included business investigations, energy, the economy, entrepreneurs, big business, consumer spending, politics, government and the environment.

Follow Matt Kempner on facebookFollow Matt Kempner on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

More metro Atlanta sellers are deciding to take their homes off the market, according to a new report. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Why thousands of metro Atlanta sellers pulled their homes off the market

The number of delistings in metro Atlanta grew 41% in September from the same month a year ago, a recent report said.

Georgia lands location of prestigious Sundance television program

The announcement comes less than a year after Atlanta did not make the cut to become the next host city of the Sundance Film Festival.

Atlanta airport travelers should expect crowded security lines Monday

TSA had projected that Sunday would be the busiest holiday day for security at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Monday is expected to be the second busiest.

The Latest

Unsold 2025 Gladiator pickup trucks sit on display outside a Jeep dealership Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, in Englewood, Colo. (David Zalubowski/AP)

Credit: AP

OPINION

December car sales are good but not magic

In the market for a luxury vehicle? You might reconsider Lincoln.

Beyond the odometer: What matters most in a used car

Featured

Inventor Lonnie Johnson stands with his Super Soaker water guns at JTEC Energy on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Atlanta. Johnson, a former NASA engineer, is currently working on a new energy technology through his company’s JTEC device that turns thermal heat into usable energy. (Natrice Miller/AJC)

Earth needs more energy. Atlanta’s Super Soaker creator may have a solution.

The legendary inventor of the Super Soaker, Lonnie Johnson, is refining technology in Atlanta that he thinks could help the planet reduce energy waste.

Teen GOP activist steps down from party leadership post

Greene County native and University of North Georgia student Ja’Quon Stembridge, 19, had run on boosting youth involvement in the party.

2025 SEC championship game: Kickoff time, TV channel, participants, ticket info

The 2025 SEC Championship Game is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 6. Below you can find information on game time, TV channel and particpants for the game.