As the movie “Baywatch” prepares for filming on Tybee Island, even City Council members are divided on how to deal with the disruption.
The Tybee City Council voted 4-3 this week to give the movie a revised permit that will allow filming over a larger area. Apparently, the movie’s director wanted a larger area after visiting the locale.
But the filming, which is scheduled to begin in a few weeks, will prohibit visitors from accessing one of the island's most popular beaches during spring break, which also means lost business for some local merchants, councilmember Wanda Doyle told Savannah Now.
Doyle, who voted against the expanded permit, told Savannah Now, “I have some concerns about these businesses on the Strand and how they’re going to be compensated for this.”
Negotiations between Paramount, the production company, and businesses are ongoing. Paramount also has offered $750 to some local residents as compensation for the disruption that filming will cause.
But the president of the Savannah Economic Development Authority said that this will be the biggest film Tybee has seen to date.
“Baywatch,” which stars Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron, is set for a 2017 release.
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