Hollywood River Studios breaks ground in Wood River

Hollywood River Studios formally broke ground on Oct. 5 at the former EnviroTech Business Park in Wood River, moving the planned film and television production campus into active construction. Gov. JB Pritzker joined Wood River officials, developer Chris Breakwell, labor representatives and project partners for the ceremony at 1 Enviro Way, according to the governor's office.

The groundbreaking wasn't ceremonial only. Site preparation, including infrastructure, grading and drainage work, is already underway, Breakwell told the St. Louis Business Journal. Vertical construction of the soundstages is expected to start in spring 2027 once that work is complete.

Key details

• Location: Former EnviroTech Business Park, 1 Enviro Way, Wood River
• Developer: Chris Breakwell, through the development entity WR Farm Investments LLC
• Status: Under construction, with site preparation underway and vertical construction expected in spring 2027
• Site size: About 110 acres, according to the state and the studio. The city's land sale covered approximately 105 acres.
• Plans: Up to six soundstages, with a hotel, conference center and esports arena planned for later phases
• Cost: About $62 million for the core studio component; $90 million to $95 million for the full campus, depending on the source
• Projected jobs: More than 1,000, according to the governor's office

What is being built at the Wood River site?

The studio's own site plan advertises a 110-acre campus with 144,000 square feet of production space spread across six 24,000-square-foot production facilities. The plan also lists offices, warehouse space, more than 1,000 parking spaces and a 12,000-square-foot e-gaming arena.

More recent interviews describe a different layout. St. Louis Public Radio reported that Breakwell now describes four stages of about 21,000 square feet each, primarily for television, plus a 40,000-square-foot stage for larger film productions and roughly 10,000 square feet for esports. The St. Louis Business Journal reported plans for four 20,000-square-foot stages, one 40,000-square-foot stage and a smaller stage for independent productions. The six-stage concept remains, but the sources don't agree on the final configuration.

The soundstages will be modular structures supplied by Spantech International, a Belgian company. Spantech says this will be its first new-build studio campus in the United States, and CEO Derek de Villenfagne has said the buildings are designed to be relocatable and scalable. Impact Strategies, based in the St. Louis region, is involved in construction. Groundbreaking signage also listed Lawrence Group and TWM, and identified First National Bank of Waterloo as a financing provider, according to the Business Journal.

Why do the cost estimates for Hollywood River Studios differ?

Readers following this project have seen four different figures: $60 million, $62 million, $90 million and $95 million. The differences largely come down to what each figure counts.

In May, the St. Louis Business Journal described the project as a $62 million development, a figure tied to the core studio component. The Wood River redevelopment agreement and earlier local reporting by RiverBender.com placed the full development at approximately $95 million. At the Oct. 5 groundbreaking, Breakwell said the broader development, including later phases such as the hotel and esports arena, could bring total investment to roughly $90 million. The Telegraph's latest coverage also uses the $90 million figure.

What did Wood River agree to?

The Wood River City Council finalized the sale of approximately 105 acres of the business park to WR Farm Investments LLC for $1 million on Feb. 17, 2026, after the developer completed its due diligence period, according to RiverBender.com. The initial bid reported in June 2025 was $500,000.

City TIF documents describe the project as a film and digital media production campus with modular soundstages, an arena, support facilities and related infrastructure. The redevelopment agreement makes up to $50 million in TIF reimbursement potentially available to the developer. That money is tied to eligible development costs under the TIF structure rather than paid out up front. Earlier city reporting also said Wood River agreed to provide $100,000 per completed production studio, up to $600,000 if all six are built.

The financing terms have drawn scrutiny. A Capitol News Illinois and WTTW investigation reported that the city agreed to reimburse approximately 90% of qualifying development costs through the TIF, capped at $50 million, before the district expires in 2042. Councilman Bill Dettmers criticized parts of the agreement and raised concerns about whether the city had strong enough clawback protections if the project failed, though he ultimately voted in favor.

Breakwell previously helped develop 31st Street Studios in Pittsburgh, according to St. Louis Magazine, which notes he is no longer involved with that studio. The Telegraph has reported that the Pittsburgh project experienced financial difficulties after his involvement, and that history is part of why local attention has focused on Wood River's TIF exposure.

Why did the developer choose Illinois and the Metro East?

Hollywood River Studios has repeatedly cited Illinois' film incentives as a primary reason for choosing Wood River, according to St. Louis Public Radio. The Illinois Film Production Tax Credit now includes a 35% base credit, with additional incentives for qualifying productions filmed downstate. The St. Louis Business Journal reported that qualifying projects at the studio could access incentives of roughly 40% to 45% of eligible spending, depending on location, sustainability and other factors. The state has extended the program through 2039.

Illinois recorded a record $703 million in film and television production spending in 2025, supporting an estimated 18,000 industry hires, according to the governor's office.

The St. Louis region also sits next to Missouri, which restored its film production incentives in 2023. The St. Louis Film Office has identified the ability to shoot on both sides of the river as a competitive advantage for the region.

The governor's office projects the completed campus could support more than 1,000 jobs, with each production employing roughly 300 to 500 temporary workers, including crew, vendors and contractors. Those figures are projections from the state and developer, not current hiring numbers.

Are any films or shows confirmed for Hollywood River Studios?

No major film or television production has been publicly confirmed for the Wood River campus.

Breakwell said in late September that the company was receiving a large number of inquiries, according to The Telegraph. The St. Louis Business Journal reported on Oct. 5 that he is in discussions with producers, but that production decisions won't be finalized until the project is further along or complete. Capitol News Illinois reported that one studio had expressed interest in shooting a series with an A-list actor at the facility, but no title, studio or actor has been named.

The company already has a physical footprint in the region. In June 2026, Hollywood River Studios opened a production support facility in a roughly 50,000- to 55,000-square-foot building at America's Central Port in Granite City, according to the Jacksonville Journal-Courier. The structure, known as Building 203, is a former military locomotive maintenance building, according to the Illinois Business Journal. America's Central Port confirms the studio as a tenant and says the building received a new roof, upgraded doors and windows, lighting and office improvements.

The Granite City building is intended mainly as a production base camp for equipment storage, staging and support for shoots across the St. Louis region. Breakwell has said some filming could also happen inside it. Earlier reporting by The Telegraph on the Granite City facility referenced a regional production called "Love on the Hill."

What happens next in Wood River?

Grading, drainage, infrastructure and site preparation are expected to continue through early 2027, with vertical construction of the soundstages expected to begin in spring 2027, according to the St. Louis Business Journal.

In September, Breakwell told The Telegraph that a first soundstage could be completed by summer 2027, with additional stages by fall. The most recent regional and industry reporting points to production operations beginning around fall 2027. No timeline has been stated for the hotel, conference center or esports arena, which are described as later phases.

Sources: Office of the Governor of Illinois; City of Wood River TIF documents and redevelopment agreement; St. Louis Business Journal; The Telegraph; St. Louis Public Radio; Capitol News Illinois and WTTW; RiverBender.com; St. Louis Magazine; Illinois Business Journal; Jacksonville Journal-Courier; TV Tech; America's Central Port; Hollywood River Studios.