Tyler Perry Announces Entertainment District Near

Tyler Perry and Bishop T.D. Jakes have some big plans for the film director and showrunner’s studio facility in the next few years.

According to Deadline, the two have acquired over 130 acres of land adjacent to Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, and are looking to add a new entertainment district to one of the largest film production sites in the United States. The new district is slated to include retail stores, restaurants, and a local movie theater that will be accessible to tourists and visitors.

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Perry bought 37 acres near the actual studio site, adding to more than 330 acres already owned by the director, the report notes. Meanwhile, Jakes, the religious leader, author and filmmaker, is purchasing 94 acres through his T.D. Jakes Real Estate Ventures. The two recently received approval to buy the land from the Fort Mac LRA Board, an organization that monitors the 145-acre military base that was once home to Confederate soldiers, who failed in their plot to keep Blacks enslaved.

“Today is a good day. I’m grateful for the opportunity this gives Tyler Perry Studios to extend our footprint in Atlanta and create more opportunities for the people of Southwest Atlanta with restaurants, entertainment venues, and other business opportunities,” Perry said in a statement, according to Deadline. ”I’m looking forward to collaborating with my friend T.D. Jakes on his separate but adjacent project and I also want to thank Governor [Brian] Kemp and Mayor [Keisha Lance] Bottoms for their continued efforts to make Atlanta a better place.”

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The expansion hopes to attract new employees as well as customers to the area for a project. The move “marks another monumental chapter in the history of Fort Mac,” Bottoms said, according to the report. “Thank you to Tyler Perry and Bishop TD Jakes for their vision and investment in the Southwest Atlanta community. The positive impact will be felt for generations to come.”