ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Cinelease Studios just announced a $95 million investment in its Albuquerque location. 

The entertainment service company will add five soundstages and two ancillary buildings. Officials say it will double the size of their current space, just north of I-25 and Alameda.

Cyndy McCrossen with the City of Albuquerque Film Office says more sound stages means more productions can film in New Mexico.

McCrossen says she expects it’ll bring more permanent jobs too. She says most TV production jobs here are 85% local hires. 

Max Gruner, the city’s Economic Development director, says the last few years have been very successful for the state’s film industry. 

“The movie industry, in the past four years, has directly spent around $2.6 billion, and that’s billion with a B. Every year, the movie industry creates about somewhere between 8,000 and 9,000 jobs with a medium salary of over $70,000 a year,” Gruner said.

A rep from the New Mexico Film Office says the company’s decision is a clear vote of confidence in the thriving film ecosystem. 

Once agreements are finalized, Cinelease plans to add 12 full-time jobs by 2033.

Cinelease also guarantees any production using the studio would spend at least $80 million a year – meaning it would join Netflix, NBC Universal, and 828 Productions as a New Mexico film partner. 

No word yet on when construction will start. KOB 4 does know the project is set to be completed over two phases over the next five years.

In a statement Monday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said she’s looking forward to the partnership with Cinelease continuing as the film industry continues to grow. 

The State of New Mexico is using $6.7 million from the EDD’s LEDA job creation fund toward the expansion. The City of Albuquerque is also putting forth an additional $1 million from its LEDA funding.