Will 50 Cent’s Deal in Shreveport Have a Positive Impact?

SHREVEPORT, LA - The deal between the city of Shreveport and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson could be a major game changer for this entire region.
Some are already saying Jackson could do for Shreveport what Tyler Perry has done for Atlanta. I'm not sure this will be that big, but it certainly looks like it could be a good start. This deal will certainly bring more tv and movie productions to town.

How Long Does This Lease Last?

Shreveport will be leasing the Millennium Studios building to G-Unit Productions for $200 dollars a month. It's a 30 year deal with a 15 year option to extend. Jackson has contracts to create at least 100 episodes of various shows and that will be done here in Shreveport once this deal is complete. This lease would go into effect on January 1.

Mayor Tom Arceneaux tells KEEL News Jackson's team will be responsible for all of the utilities, expenses and maintenance at the facility. Arceneaux also says Jackson is planning make upgrades and improvements to the facility. The Mayor adds "we are saving $15,000 a month on an asset that is now being put into use that has been idle."

The Mayor adds: "I believe he is going to make some capital improvements to the building. So this is a very, very good deal for the city and for Mr. Jackson."

Could This Mirror What Tyler Perry Created in Atlanta?

Reports indicate Hollywood ignored Perry during his early years in the business, so he decided to build his own empire and create his own movies and tv shows. He has done just that with Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta. He owns more than 300 acres of land which includes an airport terminal, a strip mall, two baseball fields, a golf course, a residential neighborhood, and a near-exact replica of the White House.

The Perry operation is one of the biggest film studios in America. The State of Georgia put lucrative tax breaks in place to bring in film and tv productions and it has been a huge success.

Perry has as many as 5,000 employees. G-Unit in Shreveport is not expected to be that big just yet. But we can dream. Can you imagine if this deal does grow into something comparable to what Perry has created in Atlanta? That would be a game changer for all of this region.

Perry talked about his massive operation in Atlanta.

Perry grew up in New Orleans, but he calls Atlanta home because that's where he moved to get out of a troubled area and upbringing in NOLA.

Perry's operation is on land that was once an Army base. He paid $30 million for the property and turned it into “one of the largest movie studios in the US, the largest of any studio east of the Mississippi River, and the largest entertainment complex owned by an African American or person of African descent in the world,” according to Atlanta magazine.

The tax incentive program kicked off in Georgia in 2005 and Perry's first film writing credit, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, debuted in theaters that same year.

Perry Talks About How His Studios Changed Atlanta

I know this Shreveport deal is much smaller in scale. But it could grow and this could be the center of operations for another big studio hub. Afterall, Tyler Perry was part of a group along with 50 Cent and Shaquille O'Neal who were considering buying the BET Network. It didn't happen, but Jackson is one of the big players in the business.

"50 Cent" has previously said "he is on his way to becoming the Next Tyler Perry."

The City Council in Shreveport is expected to take a close look at this lease and take final action at the December 12th meeting.