TRENTON, NJ – In true form, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has politically pivoted from a failed offshore wind energy fiasco to a ‘new hope’ style project involving Netflix and Fort Monmouth.
It seems no failure is too big to fail for Governor Murphy, who breezed through unpopular decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic, unpopular decisions in public education, and an unpopular gasoline car ban.
First, he ducked and weaved himself out of the pandemic before side-stepping into a future wind energy leader. When that failed, he quickly dodged and deeked into making New Jersey the ‘Hollywood of the East Coast.’
Although Tuesday’s election results will decide whether or not Phil Murphy’s skillful maneuvering was enough to protect the Democrats’ control of the state legislation and senate, Murphy’s ability to shake scandals is diminishing as he nears the halfway point of his second term in office.
Murphy confirmed progress on a significant Netflix production facility at the historic Fort Monmouth. Joined by Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, state officials, and labor leaders, Murphy endorsed the plans that signal economic revival and job creation in Monmouth County.
The endorsement follows the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority’s (FMERA) approval, greenlighting continued development, including a new affordable housing sector on the site. Murphy’s approval underscores New Jersey’s strategy to become a northeastern hub for the film and television industry, replacing Fort Monmouth’s legacy of economic hardship with one of growth and opportunity.
The Netflix initiative, representing an $848 million investment, promises to transform the 292-acre area into a cutting-edge production space. It stands as Fort Monmouth’s largest-scale project since the military’s departure over ten years ago. The plan includes creating thousands of jobs, heavily union-based, with over 3,500 in construction and 1,500 in permanent production roles.
The development encompasses the erection of 12 soundstages and the refurbishing of existing structures for varied production-related functions. An amendment to the Fort Monmouth Reuse and Redevelopment Plan, still under consideration, proposes additional affordable housing units.
Following FMERA’s agreement with Netflix in December, the company has pursued necessary approvals. Murphy’s recent action of approving FMERA’s minutes propels the project forward, requiring further review and input from the municipalities involved.