Lionsgate Studios Newark Secures $101M C-PACE Loan for $194M Production Campus

# What happened

# Why the loan matters The C-PACE loan is structured as a property tax assessment repaid over time, a mechanism the EDA says enables lower-cost, longer-term financing for green infrastructure. Nuveen, a private lender and active C-PACE investor, provided capital through the EDA for this project.

The financing will directly pay for a set of measurable infrastructure upgrades: seven electric vehicle charging stations, a 1.1-megawatt solar array with an expected annual output of 1.34 million kilowatt-hours, and energy-efficient building envelope, lighting, electrical and HVAC systems. Projected savings include a drop in annual electrical consumption of 380,000 kWh and up to 259,000 gallons of water saved per year.

# The project and local impact The studio will sit on a 12-acre site that formerly housed the Seth Boyden public housing complex in Newark's South Ward. Planned components include multiple soundstages, production offices, set-building facilities, equipment storage, catering, props, parking and security. The overall development cost is estimated at $194 million.

Officials project more than 600 long-term production jobs once the campus is operational. The plan reserves roughly 70% of the studio's full-time jobs for Newark residents. The EDA estimates the studio will produce an annual economic impact exceeding $800 million.

The EDA also awarded $750,000 to a workforce development initiative focused on film and digital media training to support local hiring.

# State film incentives and Lionsgate's commitment

# Context on C-PACE and the lenders July 2025. Since then, the program has provided more than $176 million in financing for eligible projects. Nuveen has actively increased its involvement in C-PACE lending: the company reported $1.4 trillion in assets under management overall and $6 billion through its Nuveen Green Capital affiliate, with its CPACE Lending Fund IV raising more than $1 billion at first close and boosting the firm's cumulative C-PACE commitments since 2023.

# Practical takeaways for stakeholders

• Contractors and vendors should note demand for solar, HVAC, lighting and water-conservation work tied to the campus.
• Workforce training dollars and the studio's hiring commitment present a concrete pathway for Newark residents into production roles.
• Municipalities can use the C-PACE repayment structure as a model for financing longer-term green infrastructure on commercial projects.

# Bottom line The $101 million C-PACE loan finances defined clean-energy upgrades for the Lionsgate/G​reat Point Studios production campus in Newark. The project combines state tax incentives, local workforce funding and a long-term studio commitment to deliver a large production facility with significant projected local employment and energy savings.