Listen to this articleThe basics:
- Groundbreaking held for 1888 Studios on Bayonne‘s former Texaco waterfront site
- Project will include up to 1.6M square feet of film and TV production space
- Paramount signed a 10-year lease for more than 285,000 square feet
- Development is expected to create thousands of union jobs and major economic impact
Officials gathered Dec. 16 at a snow-covered former brownfield site on the Bayonne waterfront at the foot of the Bayonne Bridge – which once housed a Texaco oil refinery for the groundbreaking of 1888 Studios.
“What will be New Jersey’s largest television production campus and one of the largest in the nation,” Arpad “Arki” Busson, chairman, 1888 Studios, described the project. “I’m honored to stand here surrounded by partners, supporters, and community members who helped make this moment possible. “Today marks more than a ceremonial groundbreaking. It is the realization of a bold vision to establish Bayonne as a global entertainment powerhouse in entertainment production – a place where the world’s greatest stories will be brought to life.”
The campus will include up to 1.6 million square feet of film and television studio development, including:
- 23 state-of-the-art smart stages
- 10 acres of basecamp
- An on-site five-story parking garage
- 22-acre water backlot and more
The name is an homage to Thomas Edison, who applied in 1888 for the patent on the first motion picture camera.
Busson noted how Bayonne has long been a gateway for ideas and stories that connect people across the world.
“Now, with 1888 Studios, Bayonne reclaims its role as a global connector – this time at the forefront of entertainment,” he said.
A ‘Paramount’ achievement
Paramount recently signed a landmark minimum 10-year lease agreement to serve as the anchor tenant at 1888 Studios, committing to occupying more than 285,000 square feet of the facility and establishing a major production hub.
“A landmark partnership with Paramount signals to the world that New Jersey is ready to lead,” said Busson. “Created for moviemakers by moviemakers, 1888 Studios will be a world-class home for the industry’s greatest storytellers – offering scale, state-of-the-art technology, and a creative environment unlike any other.”
As he spoke, Bayonne police and fire departments performed a ceremonial procession – even breaking out some of the vintage trucks – to mark the historic moment.
Busson also sai the project will bring a $1.2 billion investment to the city, county and state. The development will create more than 2,300 union jobs during construction and will generate an additional 2,000 union jobs once it’s open.
“And spark a ripple effect energizing the local economy, supporting small businesses, and establishing educational partnerships with local schools that will inspire the next generation of talent in every facet of the industry,” said Busson. “Together, we’re positioning New Jersey as a cornerstone of global entertainment.”
Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis, who is stepping down Jan. 1 to become the next Hudson County sheriff, spoke about the long process to get to this point and how vital this project is for the city where he was born and raised.
“I didn’t write a speech – because I lived this,” said Davis. “I grew up four blocks away from here. So, this is my neighborhood.”
Sullivan’s farewell
Davis said Busson approached him six years ago with interest in purchasing the former Texaco site. the process has played out since that time, through a number of different variables, hearings and more.
“Everybody that was involved – I just want to say thank you,” Davis said. “This is the town I love. And I’ve been working for this city for 40 years. I have two weeks left – and I can’t think of a better way to walk out the door than to set this city up for its future.”
Another instrumental stakeholder in the process was New Jersey Economic Development Authority CEO Tim Sullivan, who was marking his final day at the agency he has led since February 2018.
“This is my last chance to do this. Thank you all for coming to celebrate my last day,” Sullivan joked. “But what a great milestone and a great way to begin to mark the end of the Murphy administration and our time in office. This project is such a special project for Bayonne, for Hudson County – for New Jersey.
“It has come as a result of so much work over many, many years.”
Sullivan spoke about the momentum of the film and television production sector in New Jersey, pointing to recent groundbreakings for studio projects in Newark’s South Ward (Lionsgate) and Netflix (at the site of the former Fort Monmouth). And now this major project in Bayonne – emphasizing Paramount’s commitment.
Planting roots
“Today’s groundbreaking marks a new era in Bayonne, and we are excited for the film industry to plant roots here in this great city,” said Sullivan. “1888 Studios will be a world-class studio campus with Paramount occupying more than 285,000 square feet of production space.
The governor and first lady closed out the program before the official groundbreaking, echoing the sentiments of previous speakers, who included Sen. Raj Mukherji, D-32nd District, Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin, D-29th District, Hudson County Executive Craig Guy and Jose Turkienicz, head of global operations at Paramount.
The first lady credited all of the partners and stakeholders who helped bring this project to life – saying it takes a village.
“This is what we should be doing in New Jersey,” she said. “We should share our incredible mountains, our wetlands, our beaches, our casinos, our cities. We got it all going on here, and everybody knows it, so why not bring film back?
“And boy, has it been an adventure. This has been a full team sport across our entire state. We are going places in New Jersey. But it’s not because one person or two people tried to do something. It is a complete non-partisan – just ‘Jersey chutzpah’ – effort to say, ‘this is where you should be.’”
The birthplace of film
“As the birthplace of the motion picture industry, we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate the groundbreaking of 1888 Studios in Bayonne – a project that represents another chapter in world-class production here in the Garden State,” the governor said. “With Paramount already committing to a multiyear, 285,000-square-foot lease, 1888 Studios will expand on New Jersey’s reputation as a premier creative hub on the East Coast and create new opportunities for our residents.
“This project will generate thousands of new jobs, support small businesses, spark economic growth in Hudson County, and bring creators and storytellers from around the globe to our communities.”
Incredible morning breaking ground on 1888 Studios in Bayonne. Once completed, the 58-acre campus will be the largest film and TV facility in the Northeast.
1888 Studios will attract industry leaders like @ParamountPics, generating significant revenue and cementing New Jersey’s… pic.twitter.com/PpVoOJxNxz
— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) December 16, 2025
In a statement, Andy Gordon, chief strategy officer and chief operating officer at Paramount, said, “Today represents an exciting milestone as we deepen our investment in U.S. production, fuel the creative economy, and help bring jobs to New Jersey and the U.S.
“Thanks to the strong partnership between New Jersey, 1888 Studios and Paramount, we’re building a foundation to create stories that will resonate around the world, and we’re proud to contribute to a thriving ecosystem that supports jobs, opportunity, and world-class entertainment.”
‘Significant global player’
In a gaggle with reporters after the groundbreaking, Murphy stressed how big of a deal this project is and the economic impact that this campus – along with Lionsgate and Netflix – will have for New Jersey.
“This is going to be one of the largest film and television studios in North America ever,” Murphy told reporters. “We’re in this extraordinary setting under the Bayonne Bridge, thousands of union jobs. We think we get back about $7 in economic activity for every dollar the state spends in the incentive program in film and television.
