Markham Movieland project gives big boost to TV, film production in city

$100M, 400,000 square foot facility will be constructed in Markham Downtown, open in 2020

Yorkregion.com
September 13, 2018
Tim Kelly

The stars will shine in Markham in a few years when a 400,000-square-foot, $100-million movie production facility opens in Markham Downtown.

Announced by its partners and company founders, Frank Sicoli and Domenic Sciullo at the Toronto International Film Festival late last week, Markham Movieland’s First Studio City project will feature a "Super Stage" that boasts a 70,000 square foot film, television and digital sound stage, called the largest of its kind in North America.

First Studio City’s Sicoli and Sciullo are extremely confident that Hollywood, Bollywood and Chinese studio executives will want to produce movies in Markham at their facility.

“We think Markham is the ideal location given the talent pool and given its proximity to Pearson International Airport,” said Sciullo Tuesday afternoon about why the partners chose the York Region city.

Sciullo said the entire project is privately financed. He declined to reveal who the backers of the project were but said the financing was “currently in play.”

A self-described “local Markham boy,” Sciullo has had a long career in the media business dating all the way back to his time as first-ever intern at City TV, back in 1982 when he was just 19.

Since then, he’s gone on to work at CTV and Zoomer Media and says his venture with First Studio City and the Super Stage project is the “next big step.”

“This development will increase production space for local and international films that will attract Hollywood North, China and Bollywood, while continuing to support high-paying skilled jobs in the City of Markham and strengthen Ontario’s competitive position as a leading global market for film,” said Sicoli.

The Super Stage can accommodate one blockbuster tent-pole production or two major feature films or seven mid-sized feature films simultaneously, said the founders. Along with Super Stage, First Studio City will house over 20 sound stages varying in size to accommodate all production budgets.

It will be located at 4412 14th Avenue at McDowell Gate on the south side of Highway 407 and just west of Kennedy Road; it will be 13 to 14 acres in total.

The project will be constructed by the Remington Group Inc., which has a long history of building in Markham. It will be designed by the award-winning architectural firm Quadrangle Architects.

“The Remington Group is pleased to work with First Studio City in its efforts to establish a major film production house in Markham,” said Christopher Bratty, president of land development and investments for the Remington Group.

First Studio City, Markham is a game changer in the Greater Toronto Area, and I support the vision behind it,” said Mayor Frank Scarpitti.

“Markham is home to Canada’s second-largest innovation ecosystem of multinational industry leaders and entrepreneurs and the future home of York University. We have the diversity of talent and culture needed for large-scale film and television production and the lowest industrial and commercial taxes in the GTA. The studio will be an economic driver creating high-quality jobs and a hub for talent, state-of-the-art technology and innovation.”