The Minnesota Film and TV Board has an intriguing idea to keep the St. Paul Ford plant rolling: convert it into a film-production facility. Where the $15 million to convert it is not fully developed yet as the state is forecasting a $6.2 million budget deficit.
The big Ford plant, which will cease making Ranger trucks next September, is considered ideal.
The plant’s interior has a 40- to 45-foot clearance from the light grid, which could appeal to features and commercials, according to a draft of the board’s nine-page plan for the funding request. The site includes approximately 2 million-sq.ft. of commercial buildings, the largest piece being the 1.2 million-sq.ft. assembly building, according to Finance & Commerce.
“The addition of an 18,000 to 24,000-sq.ft. sound stage ? and production center would enhance our marketability as the industry here expands,” the draft says. “It would be interesting to explore the feasibility of St. Paul Paul’s Ford plant [should it become available] for this purpose.”
