Georgia is the number one filming location in the world for feature films. Now, it appears as though other businesses are looking to tap into the industry.
Some of Hollywood’s biggest TV shows and movies have filmed in the ATL including Denzel Washington’s Flight and most recently, Stranger Things season 1 and 2.
This week, Simon Property Group held a press conference. In the press conference, Nobu CEO Trevor Horwell announced that Nobue Atlanta Restaurant and a 150-room Nobu Hotel may open as soon as late 2019, as part of a new mixed-use development at Simon-owned Phipps Plaza.
According to Atlanta Magazine, Nobu was founded by chef Nobu Matsuhisa, Robert De Niro, and Meir Teper. The restaurant has expanded in recent years, which has resulted in the opening of 40 restaurants and 16 hotels around the world. However, Horwell says, “We don’t want to be in every single city in the U.S. We want to be in very selective cities. It has to be a city that fits with the Nobu customer.”
But, as Atlanta Magazine points out, Atlanta’s booming film industry is part of that attraction. Horwell calls the city a 4M market, which means the city has a thriving movie, music and retail and media industry. In fact, Horwell said on his flight to Atlanta he noticed something interesting.
“On the airplane [coming here], basically 90 percent of the people in first class were reading scripts,” Horwell explained. Not to mention, De Niro is reportedly a huge fan of the city.
In addition to the 10,000 square-foot-restaurant, the new development will include 12-story Class A office building, other dining options, and a 90,000-square-foot Life Time Athletic facility.
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