The Rockdale News Rockdale News Digital Edition May 13, 2015 | Page 6

In Depth
Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Dollars and Sense
The economic impact and big picture of filming in Rockdale
BY SANDRA BRANDS

It’s a quandary.
On one hand, the revenues brought in by
production companies pumps money into the
local economy – more than $23 million over the
last five years – and helps the tax base.
On the other hand, some of the merchants in
film locations notice a significant drop in business,
especially when streets like Commercial and
Center in Olde Town Conyers, are closed.
At a recent Conyers City Council meeting,
several Olde Town business owners complained
about the loss of business during the filming of
“Alvin and the Chipmunks” in early May. They said
filmmakers filled up the Olde Town parking lot
and scared off customers.
“The disrespect and disregard we’re getting as
merchants, I’m disgusted with it,” Clay Amyette,
owner of Treasures and Trash antiques, told the
council. A proposal was made to add a merchant
onto the film policy committee.
“We’re sensitive to [the problem],” said Gina
Hartsell, Film Liaison for the Conyers/Rockdale
Economic Development Office (CREDO). “A lot
of producers film at night so they don’t impact
merchants.”
Council Member Vince Evans owns property
in Olde Town and said that some of the people
who lease space from him aren’t thrilled with
filmmaking in Conyers. Others are find it exciting.
“There are people who are unhappy about it,
and there are people who enjoy it,” he said. “We

did a survey last year and learned about third [of
the respondents] didn’t want the filming, a third
did want it, a third didn’t care,” he said. “You don’t
hear from those who want it or don’t care. It’s the
ones who don’t want it you hear from.”
The biggest area of concern is Olde Town
Conyers because of the way the area is laid
out. Covington, Evans said, has a square with
multiple entrances into it. Olde Town Conyers is
more challenging, with Center Street being the
preferred area for shooting, Hartsell said.
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