Press Releases
Port St. Lucie in lead to land digital production studio and up to 500 jobs
PORT ST. LUCIE — A major shareholder for the special effects team behind movies such as "Transformers," "Flags of our Fathers" and "Apollo 13" hopes to build a digital production studio here that could create up to 500 jobs and expand film and computer studies at area state colleges.
Hobe Sound-based Wyndcrest Holdings, a private investment firm focused on entertainment and Internet technology, released a few details Thursday for the new animation and video game studio that is still under negotiations with local economic and government officials and the state.
Wyndcrest has already started recruiting a senior leadership team for the project and plans to occupy a 150,000-square-foot facility that will include space for artist and software design studios, screening theaters and even community access areas, according to a release from Wyndcrest.
"Digital production is huge and growing and we have thousands of kids in this state that are learning these skills and moving out of this state to pursue jobs in that industry, and I'd like that to change," said Jupiter Island resident John Textor, the managing principal of Wyndcrest and the co-chair of California-based company Digital Domain.
No details were available on the pay range for any of the jobs.
While details also on the overall proposal remain mostly under wraps because of ongoing negotiations, Wyndcrest has been working on the project with the county for nine months, said Larry Pelton, the president of the Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County.
"It's a project we would greatly welcome to this county," Pelton said.
Port St. Lucie and St. Lucie County have teamed together on the project and are competing against Sarasota and other counties in the state.
Sarasota offered $32 million, plus up to 20 acres of free land, for the project, according to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Pelton said he could not release details on any local bid package because of a confidentiality agreement, but he hopes to have the project at a decision point by Oct. 1.
Pelton said the project could enhance the area's growing Research Coast image.
Port St. Lucie has successfully drawn bio-technology companies Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies and the Florida branch of Oregon Health and Science University's Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute. The county also is working to put utilities and roads into the 1,600-acre Treasure Coast Education, Research and Development Park abutting Kings Highway.
Although not in the bio-technology field, Wyndcrest falls in line with the technology aspect, Pelton said.
"To me, it's complementary," Pelton said.
Linda Cox, president and chief executive officer of the St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce, said the project would help diversify the economy.
"I think it's another type of industry that we don't currently have," Cox said. "It's a great opportunity for residents of St. Lucie County, diversifying our industry even further. Those that want to get into computers will have high tech jobs that they can go into and grow into that we currently don't have, that isn't not necessarily biotech and a call center."
She added that while some of the workers might initially come from outside the area, it will be up to the local community to ensure that the schools provide training so people can move into the field.
"We all want to keep our kids here," Cox said.
Textor believes that the colleges in Florida, private and public, have been gearing themselves to support the growth of the digital content industry.
"I personally have a passion proving that Florida does have a natural resource other than weather and that our economy does not have to divide up families as it has done in the past," he said.
Local officials have been working on ways to help the county's unemployment rate, which hit 14.1 percent according to the state's Agency of Workforce Innovation's June figures.
Gwenda Thompson, president and chief executive officer of the Workforce Development Board of the Treasure Coast, estimated 500 jobs would reduce area unemployment by a half-percent.
"Something like this would be great for the local economy," Thompson said. "We have people who would jump at these chances."
She added that besides the lure of Hollywood and New York, recent graduates from the Treasure Coast now head off to Orlando, Jacksonville and Atlanta in pursuit of such technical jobs.
County Commissioner Chris Craft said he was not familiar with details of the project, but he credited the teamwork among local officials for creating economic opportunities during the difficult financial climate.
"The community should be very, very happy that the community is being considered for a project like this," Craft said.
A spokeswoman for Digital Domain said they are not involved in the Wyndcrest deal. However, anything Textor does could provide the company an opportunity to do something on the Treasure Coast, said Julie Miller, spokeswoman for Digital Domain.
"As an investor in our company they offer us an opportunity to expand, and if they did that we would be thrilled, they're an investor and that gives us a great chance to expand, but we're not driving this effort," Miller said.
Digital Domain, created in 1993, has won numerous awards for its work, including the 2008 Academy Award for Special Effects in the movie "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."
ANIMATION AND VIDEO GAME JOBS
Wyndcrest is seeking senior leadership and people with "relevant" experience in the creation of original content productions for animated feature films or video games.
To submit resumes or portfolios:
Hardcopy:
Wyndcrest Holdings LLC
11450 S.E. Dixie Highway, Ste. 104
Hobe Sound, FL 33455
Electronic:
careers@wyndcrest.com