• View Comments
• Share with Shortlink:

Will

Smith and his brother

Harry Smith are about to hook Philly up. Will Smith who seems

to have no end to his money is pursuing a movie soundstage and

recording studio on the southern end of the Avenue of the Arts,

where Broad Street meets Washington Avenue. When complete, it

will also include apartments, shops, and space for television

and radio stations.

Mayor

Rendell said: "The concept is extraordinarily exciting, it

would be [exciting] any where in the city of Philadelphia, but

especially at the mouth of the Avenue of the Arts." Financing

still must be secured and land still has to be acquired, Rendell

said, but "when you have Will Smith as one of the big co-venturers,

it gives us the ability to do things we wouldn’t otherwise be

able to do."

The

Smith brothers are partners in a local investment company called

Treyball Real Estate (named for Will’s son, Trey). They also are

building a hotel. The city may offer some public financing, Rendell

said, since the city likely would own or operate the soundstage

component, but that remains a matter of negotiation.