Action! It's Hangar 42

WALKER, Mich. (WOOD) -- At one time, the Lear plant on Alpine made car parts. Now, the nearly 500,000-square-foot facility will house Michigan's first fully-financed film studio.

Owned by local investors who sank $45 million into it, Hangar42 Studios used an infrastructure credit through the state to help spur Michigan's fledgling movie industry.

"This is a project that has been in the works for quite some time and represents a true public/private sector partnership," said Joe Peters in a statement. Peters is the principal with Hangar42 Studios. "We couldn't be more excited to now officially be open for business and are very appreciative to the Michigan Film Office for all the support its provided."

In the first three years of operation, the studio expects to create between 50-60 administrative positions and between 750-1000 additional jobs.

"This levels the playing field," Rick Hert of the West Michigan Film Office told 24 Hour News 8. "This gives us the opportunity to sell the largest studio in the state, perhaps the Midwest or the United States. It's a facility that's for year-round filming."

Hert added he's talking to movie "folks from England, Italy right now. This is world class."

Though Hangar42 officially opens in February, it's already been used for "The Gun," a movie starring Val Kilmer and 50 Cent.

Built in 1942, the facility was used to build military airplanes and boats. It later became a General Motors and Lear plant.

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Learn more about Hangar 42 Studios and potential jobs or e-mail them at info@hangar42studios.com

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More info at Laff at the Movies blog