Company Gets Green Light To Build Billion-Dollar Movie Studio In Dixon

DIXON (CBS13) - A slice of Hollywood is coming to a small Solano County city as a major economic boom is on the brink.

"We have so many people in this town that need jobs," resident Rich Hardy said.

Downtown Dixon has a quaint and charming feel. Now it's on the verge of rolling out the red carpet for a business that will bring more than 1,000 new jobs and is not expected to cost taxpayers a dime.

"I think it's great for the city," resident Don Ritchey said.

Morning View Studios CEO Carissa Carpenter made the major announcement at the Dixon City Council meeting that her company has obtained the rights to purchase 333 acres of farmland and build a $2.8 billion state-of-the-art movie facility.

"Thousands of jobs, and it's not just the people that work at the studio, it's the people that live in the community. It's the vendor relationship. It's the builders. It's long term," said Carpenter.

"It's a very clean business; it's not a typical industrial business, so it fits right into a small town atmosphere," said Dixon City Manager Jim Lindley.

Lindley says the project could bring a thousand new jobs in construction alone. Once the studio is completed, it is expected to bring $1 billion dollars to the area each year, making it a potential blockbuster for the city's budget.

"These big kinds of projects happen every day all across the country. It's just hard for people to grasp that it's going to happen in Dixon," said Lindley.

Many who've lived in Dixon for years say they're happy to have a little Hollywood coming to their backyard.

"I just think it is very exciting. I'm glad that it's working out," resident Helen Ritchey said.

So, what will they do with Dixon's new-found fame?

"I want to be like Hitchcock, an extra in every movie that's made out there," said Lindley.

The company was hoping to acquire 400 acres, but some landowners decided not to sell. However, they have until Friday to change their minds.

Studio owners say they must have the project completed by January 15, 2015.