Athens Film Studio Eyes Data Center Conversion as Movie Demand Wanes
December 17, 2025
A major film production studio in Georgia is preparing a strategic shift that underscores the volatile economics of regional film incentives and the relentless demand for digital infrastructure. Athena Studios in Athens is actively exploring plans to convert its 185,000-square-foot facility into a data center, a move prompted by a severe contraction in local movie production.
The potential conversion follows a significant decline in film spending within Georgia. Industry analysts attribute the slump to a combination of the recent writers' strike and more competitive production incentives being offered by other states, which have diverted projects away from the region. This downturn has left studio owners grappling with an oversupply of specialized space.
In an interview, Athena Studios CEO Joel Harber outlined the challenging market reality. "What you have now is an oversupply of space and an undersupply of demand," Harber stated. This imbalance has forced a fundamental reconsideration of the business's future. Harber noted that the studio's existing infrastructure, including robust power and cooling systems, positions it favorably for data center use, a sector with clear and growing demand. "There's demand, you know, there's demand and these facilities don't transition very well to something easily," he added.
While expressing hope for a resurgence in Georgia's film industry, possibly spurred by revised state incentives, Harber acknowledged the necessity of adaptation. "I know all the stage owners in Georgia are hoping for the best, but kind of planning for the worst and looking at other alternatives," he said. Consequently, Athena Studios is pursuing a dual-path strategy: maintaining operations as a film studio while simultaneously preparing for a full transition to a data center should the industry fail to recover. "We will move forward toward transitioning into a data center if necessary," Harber confirmed.
The studio's contingency plan highlights a broader trend of commercial real estate repurposing and the convergence of different industrial sectors. If executed, the conversion would add a notable volume of colocation or hyperscale capacity in the Southeastern U.S., a region experiencing rapid data center growth driven by cloud expansion and AI workloads. The move also signals the profound economic impact of shifting incentive landscapes on ancillary industries, potentially prompting policy reassessments to retain key economic drivers.
Source: wsbtv
Georgia Film Studio Considers Pivot to Data Center Amid Industry Downturn
