OAKLAND - Leaving nothing to chance, Keenen Ivory Wayans made a personal pitch to the City Council Tuesday to keep alive his dream of creating a world-class movie studio, educational children's zone and arts and entertainment district at the old Army Base.
Wayans and his urban development partner, Britten Shuford, flew in from Los Angeles specifically to address the council and Mayor Ron Dellums before the closed session Tuesday afternoon.
It isn't the first visit for Wayans. Two years ago the comedic genius behind "Little Man," "Scary Movie" and "White Chicks" buzzed into town and wowed citizens and elected officials with plans for the former base in West Oakland.
But the exclusive negotiating agreement the city signed 18 months ago with the Wayans' Fulton Project Development Group expired Tuesday, and Wayans and Shuford, a partner in the Pacifica Capital Group, are scrambling to keep the project alive.
Without going in too much detail, Wayans explained Tuesday a trusted partner basically had shut the Wayans family out of the now-expired Fulton Group agreement, causing them to miss several deadlines.
and a centerpiece for Oakland's 165-acre Army Base development. The council was not scheduled to take any action on the project, but Councilmembers Larry Reid (Elmhurst-East Oakland) and Desley Brooks (Eastmont-Seminary) have been lobbying their colleagues behind the scenes to exercise patience and give the stars another chance to get it right.
Others have said previously that the 70 acres held for the Wayans should be opened up for potential users — of which there are many — to make their pitch. The council was scheduled later Tuesday night to approve a four-month schedule to create a comprehensive strategy for reusing the city's 165-acre share of the base. Such a strategy might or might not include a movie studio.
Earlier in the day Shuford assured Councilmember Nancy Nadel (Downtown-West Oakland) that there would be no more delays and the Wayans were ready to go whenever the council gives the green light.
He said by next week they would be ready to introduce the development team and financial partner. They would have the site plan for the project, including the square footage of big box retail and community serving retail, and the aspects of the creative business park, children's educational zone and digital arts center. They also would present their concept of the urban village and a schedule for the next four months.
At the end of the four months, Shuford said they would be ready to take the next step and sign a Disposition and Development Agreement with the city.
"A lot of you will be very pleased and pleasantly surprised on our progress," Shuford said. "We understand the importance of milestones, the importance of the land to the city of Oakland. We're making a commitment here today to work with every council member. We want them to know (what we're doing)."
Wayans said after the meeting that he has "learned from his mistakes" and hoped the council would agree to work with him.
Wayans said his project would make Oakland a destination because there isn't anything like it around. He expects the state-of-the-art studio and soundstage to attract local filmmakers and those around the world. He said he once scouted for film locations in the area but the only place available was a hangar on the former Alameda Naval Air Station.
"The project is very feasible, and very exciting, and if given the opportunity, it will get done," he said. If the city agrees to keep the project alive, the production studio, sound stage and urban village with retail shops, creative educational fun zone for kids and digital arts center would be located on 55 acres within the Central Gateway portion of the base. The second phase would create a luxury hotel on 15 acres in the Western Gateway area of base nearest the Bay Bridge.
The development will happen concurrently, not in phases, as each piece flows into and depends on the other, Wayans said.
"Everything is synergistic," Wayans said. "There's the noise factor, parking, we can't just drop that into the middle of (other businesses on the base). Each piece works together with the next."
Wayans and his urban development partner, Britten Shuford, flew in from Los Angeles specifically to address the council and Mayor Ron Dellums before the closed session Tuesday afternoon.
It isn't the first visit for Wayans. Two years ago the comedic genius behind "Little Man," "Scary Movie" and "White Chicks" buzzed into town and wowed citizens and elected officials with plans for the former base in West Oakland.
But the exclusive negotiating agreement the city signed 18 months ago with the Wayans' Fulton Project Development Group expired Tuesday, and Wayans and Shuford, a partner in the Pacifica Capital Group, are scrambling to keep the project alive.
Without going in too much detail, Wayans explained Tuesday a trusted partner basically had shut the Wayans family out of the now-expired Fulton Group agreement, causing them to miss several deadlines.
and a centerpiece for Oakland's 165-acre Army Base development. The council was not scheduled to take any action on the project, but Councilmembers Larry Reid (Elmhurst-East Oakland) and Desley Brooks (Eastmont-Seminary) have been lobbying their colleagues behind the scenes to exercise patience and give the stars another chance to get it right.
Others have said previously that the 70 acres held for the Wayans should be opened up for potential users — of which there are many — to make their pitch. The council was scheduled later Tuesday night to approve a four-month schedule to create a comprehensive strategy for reusing the city's 165-acre share of the base. Such a strategy might or might not include a movie studio.
Earlier in the day Shuford assured Councilmember Nancy Nadel (Downtown-West Oakland) that there would be no more delays and the Wayans were ready to go whenever the council gives the green light.
He said by next week they would be ready to introduce the development team and financial partner. They would have the site plan for the project, including the square footage of big box retail and community serving retail, and the aspects of the creative business park, children's educational zone and digital arts center. They also would present their concept of the urban village and a schedule for the next four months.
At the end of the four months, Shuford said they would be ready to take the next step and sign a Disposition and Development Agreement with the city.
"A lot of you will be very pleased and pleasantly surprised on our progress," Shuford said. "We understand the importance of milestones, the importance of the land to the city of Oakland. We're making a commitment here today to work with every council member. We want them to know (what we're doing)."
Wayans said after the meeting that he has "learned from his mistakes" and hoped the council would agree to work with him.
Wayans said his project would make Oakland a destination because there isn't anything like it around. He expects the state-of-the-art studio and soundstage to attract local filmmakers and those around the world. He said he once scouted for film locations in the area but the only place available was a hangar on the former Alameda Naval Air Station.
"The project is very feasible, and very exciting, and if given the opportunity, it will get done," he said. If the city agrees to keep the project alive, the production studio, sound stage and urban village with retail shops, creative educational fun zone for kids and digital arts center would be located on 55 acres within the Central Gateway portion of the base. The second phase would create a luxury hotel on 15 acres in the Western Gateway area of base nearest the Bay Bridge.
The development will happen concurrently, not in phases, as each piece flows into and depends on the other, Wayans said.
"Everything is synergistic," Wayans said. "There's the noise factor, parking, we can't just drop that into the middle of (other businesses on the base). Each piece works together with the next."
