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Gracepoint financial legacy larger than first anticipated
including a handful whose complaints ranged from lateevening filming and noise disruption, he says the overall community benefit outweighs the inconvenience. “We appreciate that there is Arnold Lim dislocation involved both in News staff residential and business, but you have to step back and look at the Gracepoint productions has overall picture, and this is good only been here four months, but for the region,” Jensen says. “The Oak Bay could be cashing in for Gracepoint people have reacted years to come. graciously and courteously and With less than a month before reached an accommodation with the cast and crew of Gracepoint the neighbours. If there is going pack up and leave Oak Bay and to be excessive disruption they many other filming locations will offer financial benefit or put across the South Island, the economic spinoff the municipality them in a hotel for the night.” Victoria Film will enjoy may be “The economic commissioner greater than was Kathleen Gilbert foreseen. impact has been was excited to “It is a rising tide quite positive, it has host Gracepoint in lifting all economic boats throughout the put us on the map a Greater Victoria and said the amount region,” says Oak Bay little bit in terms of film producers Mayor Nils Jensen. spend in any region “When you look at exposure.” should not be the region they are - Isa Hosein underestimated. real and substantial. “The film company The estimate I have purchases things that every seen for the economic boost will family purchases, so if you can, be probably something in the imagine the things you use area of $10 to $15-million injected throughout the year from gas and into the local economy.” hair styling products, to propane He says parking and permits to clothing. They buy a lot of in Oak Bay alone could approach clothing in a movie,” she says. $20,000 going into municipal “They have spent $2 million on coffers and the budget for the accommodations alone.” series approached $250,000 Isa Hosein has seen some of the per day. While there are real economic benefit. The co-owner disruptions for some residents,
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Kevin Rankin, as Paul Coates and Sarah-Jane Potts who plays Gemma Fisher rehearse a scene in the Oaks Restaurant which was used as a location for Fox TV’s Gracepoint. of the Oaks Restaurant on Oak Bay Avenue has been closing his entire restaurant for two days at a time, renting the facility to the Gracepoint crew as a filming location. He’s excited about the prospect of more rentals and the additional traffic the show has created for his restaurant. “The economic impact has been quite positive, it has put us on the map a little bit in terms of exposure,” Hosein says. “Everyone knows what is going on with Gracepoint around here and on days we close … those days are always challenging for us, (but) over the long term it will be a total benefit.”
He learned in December 2013 that the Oaks would be turned into the Crestview Rooms and Pub for the high-profile Fox television show and has already been paid for 12 full-day rentals and expects more as the show continues. “Oak Bay Ave. is going to be portrayed on network U.S. TV as Gracepoint, we all know what that does for us come tourist season. Everyone wants to come see where it all happened,” he says. “The best part hasn’t come yet. The best part is when it airs and the whole world gets to see.” Gilbert agrees and the former location manager is hopeful
the economic benefit for the community will continue well beyond May, when the entirety of the 10-episode first season’s principal photography will be complete. “For Oak Bay … I don’t think you can underestimate the power of film tourism when it comes to a show like this. It’s a very popular film and the (show) it’s based on has resulted in film tourism in the city it was filmed in in the U.K. I don’t see why it would be different here,” she said. “If you Google Oak Bay now you get a lot more hits than you did before Gracepoint started filming.” alim@vicnews.com
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