Netflix At Fort Monmouth? Gov. Murphy, Netflix Mum: Reports

OCEANPORT, NJ — Is Netflix considering moving into Fort Monmouth?

The Two River Times has an exclusive report that Netflix responded to an April offer from Gov. Phil Murphy to woo production companies to film movies and TV shows in New Jersey.

The Two River Times cited five anonymous sources who said Netflix responded to Murphy's overture.

Multiple Netflix spokespeople did not respond to Patch's inquiries.

However, on Friday when he was in Toms River, Gov. Murphy would neither confirm nor deny rumors that Netflix is considering moving into Fort Monmouth.

"No news of that," Murphy said, when asked by the Asbury Park Press. "Fort Monmouth is an incredibly important opportunity for us as a state and getting the fort into the best shape possible is something that we care deeply about. I'll leave it at that, but we are excited about the fort and its future and generally excited about our film, television and digital future."

Fort Monmouth is a 1,127-acre former U.S. Army base that straddles the areas of Tinton Falls, Oceanport and Eatontown. It was used by the U.S. Army for years, but officially closed in 2011, although activity had been winding down there for years. Ever since, acres and acres of land at Fort Monmouth have sat empty and abandoned.

But now there is much new development underway at Fort Monmouth, as former officers' homes are being turned into luxury townhouses, with prices starting in the upper $700,000s. A waterfront esplanade is being built and there are even plans to build a gym (to be called the Fort Athletic Club), a microbrewery and a bowling center at Fort Monmouth.

So far, construction has only started on the private homes.

The Wall Street Journal reported that in April, Gov. Murphy sent a letter to the production heads of Netflix, Disney and Warner Bros., among other film studios, where he criticized Georgia's newly enacted voter ID laws. Georgia had always required ID for in-person voting, but as part of their changes to voting laws this past spring, they also require ID for mail-in voting, as well.

Murphy also offered the film studios tax credits equal to what the state of Georgia currently offers: Tax credits up to 30 percent of production costs and a 40-percent tax credit for any studio that opens brick-and-mortar offices in New Jersey, according to the Wall Street Journal.

“I’ve watched the recent decisions coming from the Georgia State House with disappointment. Restricting the right to vote is more than just wrong, it’s un-American,” Murphy wrote in the letter. “Our new $14.5 billion economic incentive package makes the Garden State just as competitive as Georgia to attract film and television production businesses. One thing is clear: when it comes to social policies, corporate responsibility, and — not to be overlooked — economic opportunity, New Jersey is now a top contender for your business.”

Georgia has become a national hub for filmmaking, thanks to tax credits the state offers movie studios. The state of Georgia reports that 43 TV shows and movies are being filmed in that state, including “Black Panther 2: Wakanda Forever" and Season 11 of “The Walking Dead."

Read The Two River Times report: Netflix Eyes Large Portion of Fort Monmouth (July 29)

Related: Ft. Monmouth Building Boom: Townhomes, Waterfront Walkway Coming (March 2021)

Part Of Fort Monmouth Converted To Private Homes, Rentals (March 2021)

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