Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano, along with Great Point Studios CEO Robert Halmi, the city’s Office of Film Director Melissa Goldberg, film producer Jonathan Filley, a director on the TV series “Law & Order” Mike Smith, City Council President Lakisha Collins-Bellamy and City Council Majority Leader John Rubbo gathered at the new Mediapro Studios at 1050 N. Broadway in Yonkers for a March 6 news conference to reveal a new report on the city’s film and TV production activity. The report found that the industry generated approximately $46 million in sales activity and nearly $11.9 million in earnings during 2024. Both Spano and Halmi pointed out that production activity and the number of sound stages have grown since 2024.
Halmi noted that there were only five sound stages in operation during 2024 and that has now grown to nine active stages, with at least a half dozen more coming soon.
“In 2024 utilization on our stages was 1,000 stage days, that’s the number of days rented in each stage added together,” Halmi said. “In 2025 that number grew to 1,500. In 2026 we’ll have more than 2,000 stage rental days in Yonkers, pretty spectacular. So, the best is yet to come. We’re also excited we’ve attracted some great talent to the area.”
The report was prepared by economic development consulting firm Camoin Associates based in Richmond, Virginia. Camoin bills itself as an economic development consulting firm that helps communities and organizations achieve sustainable and equitable growth through expert analysis, effective strategies, and intentional connections.
Camoin reported that there were 124 days in 2024 when a film or TV program was being shot in Yonkers. It also said that the City of Yonkers collected approximately $961,000 from film permits, location rental revenue and occupancy tax from hotel stays by people involved in production activities.
The report served as a formal backup to what Spano had said on Jan. 13 of last year when he called 2024 the most successful year for film and TV production in the city since the film office was established in 2012.
“Yonkers has firmly established itself as the premier destination for film and television in New York, and the impact on our local economy is nothing short of transformative,” Spano said at the news conference. We are seeing a new wave of ‘location tourism’ where visitors travel from across the country to walk in the same halls they’ve seen on screen. Film in Yonkers is more than an industry — it is a vital engine for our small businesses, our cultural landmarks, and our city’s future.”
Smith said he has been in the city recently scouting new locations for “Law & Order” and hopes to be able to shoot scenes at the city’s downtown fire station and also was looking at a number of residences. He commented that shooting scenes for “Law & Order” has gone smoothly each time he has worked in the city, which included filming scenes for the series “Manifest,” because of the friendliness of everyone they’ve encountered.
“We were here two years ago with ‘SVU’ and I had to break up a very nice conversation between the mayor and Mariska Hargitay (‘Law & Order: SVU’ star), ‘Mariska we’re ready for you on set.’ It really is a friendly environment here in Yonkers,” Smith said.
Yonkers has branded itself as “Hollywood on Hudson” and is home to the largest film and TV production hub in the Northeast. Great Point Studios currently operates eight sound stages across three locations in Yonkers and plans to expand to have 15 to 20 stages in the city. It also owns PHYGITALFX, a Yonkers-based media production services and equipment rental company. Great Point also owns Hudson Scenic in Yonkers, which builds sets used on Broadway and in film and TV. Great Point’s Lionsgate Studios in downtown Yonkers was the first to open in the city. Industry stalwarts besides Lionsgate and Mediapro involved with the Yonkers facilities now include Apple, NBCUniversal, Paramount and Starz, among others.
According to the Camoin report, the film and TV industry creates a multiplier effect throughout the local economy.
“Local restaurants benefit from increased patronage during shoots, hardware stores supply materials for set construction, transportation companies move equipment and personnel, and property owners generate rental income from location fees,” the report said. “This economic activity extends to post-production services, equipment rental facilities, and specialized vendors that support the industry’s infrastructure needs.”
The report noted what sets Yonkers apart is not only its physical assets, but the authentic character and civic pride that production teams tap into when they produce their projects in the city.
Among the noteworthy productions doing work in Yonkers have been “The Penguin” along with “Law & Order: SVU;” and “The Irishman.”
“At the Hudson River Museum, productions from ‘The Gilded Age’ to ‘Severance’ have brought renewed attention to historic spaces and generated critical operating revenue during challenging periods, including during the pandemic,” the report said. “Visitors now travel from across the country to explore locations they recognize from film and television. Museum guests arrive from 45 states and over a thousand ZIP codes, drawn in part by recent screen appearances.”
The report noted, “The continued expansion of studio facilities, the city’s strategic location, and its rich tapestry of filming environments signal that Yonkers’ role in the film and television economy will continue to grow in scale and significance.”
