Bastrop film studio to start construction

The developer behind a highly-anticipated film studio in Bastrop took a crucial next step toward turning its ambitious vision into reality. 

Owners of the 546-acre project, dubbed Bastrop 552, secured unanimous approval from the Bastrop City Council to tweak its proposal for the site, several years after gaining initial approval, the Austin Business Journal reported.

The developer is Bastrop Colorado Bend, led by Alton Butler, who also owns California-based Line 204 Studios — a company that provides stages and equipment rentals to the likes of Netflix, Hulu and the NFL.

Bastrop 552, located 35 miles east of Austin, is slated for 486,000 square feet of studio space, 300,000 square feet of warehouse and 200,000 square feet of office. Butler expects to start construction toward the end of this year.

Amendments to the original plan include constructing a game fence, the city building water and wastewater lines to the site and an expedited permit and plan review. Bastrop Colorado Bend will no longer be exempt from certain permit fees and tax breaks. 

“We’ve come a long way and there [were] concessions on both sides,” Butler told the outlet. “I’m just happy to be approved and going forward with the city of Bastrop and the state of Texas.”

The first phase will comprise six 20,000-square-foot studios, two 10,000-square-foot sound stages, a 50,000-square-foot warehouse and a 52,000-square-foot office. 

Bastrop 552 could generate $177 million per year, while providing more than 1,400 permanent jobs for the first 10 years after construction is completed, according to an economic analysis by Line 204. The studio is expected to generate a total of $11 million in local tax revenue over a 12-year stretch, including $7.2 million for the city, $2.7 million for the county and $1.1 million for the school district, the outlet reported.

The development also reflects Bastrop’s rapid growth. The city’s population increased by roughly 22 percent from 2015 to 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and a number of other high-profile developments are in the works.

Elon Musk is building facilities for his Boring Company in Bastrop, 30 miles away from Tesla’s Giga Texas factory. Other ventures from Musk, such as SpaceX and Starlink, will also operate at the site, as part of his “Project Amazing” vision. Lennar Homes is building an assemblage of housing just east of Musk’s campus.

—Quinn Donoghue