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Skywalker Ranch

Coordinates: 38°3′43″N 122°38′38″W / 38.06194°N 122.64389°W / 38.06194; -122.64389
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Skywalker Ranch
Skywalker Ranch Main House
Map
LocationMarin County, California, U.S.
Nearest cityNovato
Coordinates38°3′43″N 122°38′38″W / 38.06194°N 122.64389°W / 38.06194; -122.64389
Area4,700 acres (1,900 ha)
Owned byGeorge Lucas

Skywalker Ranch is a movie ranch and the workplace of film director, writer and producer George Lucas located in a secluded area near Nicasio, California, in Marin County. The ranch is located on Lucas Valley Road, named after an early-20th-century landowner in the area of no relation to George Lucas.[1] The ranch is not open to the public.

Overview

The principal operation of the facility is as a motion picture sound mixing and recording facility. Other Lucasfilm properties provide animation and visual effects; Skywalker handles sound, music, and allied services.

In September 1978, George Lucas purchased the first parcel of land, and named it Bulltail Ranch, which in subsequent years became Skywalker Ranch.[2] Lucasfilm acquired 3,000 acres (1,200 ha) of adjoining land for a total of over 4,700 acres (1,900 ha). Only 15 acres (6.1 ha) have been developed.[3] Residents of the area have fought his plan to build a larger studio on the property, citing light and noise pollution.[4]

Ewok Lake, a man-made lake at Skywalker Ranch

The Ranch contains a barn with animals, vineyards, a garden with fruits and vegetables used in the on-site restaurant, an outdoor swimming pool and fitness center with racquetball courts, the man-made "Ewok Lake", a hilltop observatory, a 300-seat theater called "The Stag" as well as theater screening rooms, and parking that is mostly concealed underground to preserve the natural landscape.[5] Skywalker Sound was moved onto the ranch in 1987, now occupying the Technical Building.[6] The Main House has a company research library under a stained-glass dome.[1] Skywalker Ranch has its own fire station; it is part of the Marin County mutual aid system and is often called on to assist firefighters in nearby Marinwood.[1]

Skywalker Ranch is intended to be more of a "filmmaker's retreat" than a headquarters for Lucas's business operations. The headquarters of Lucasfilm, Industrial Light & Magic, and LucasArts (now Lucasfilm Games) are located in Lucas's Letterman Digital Arts Center in the Presidio of San Francisco.[5][7] The George Lucas Educational Foundation is based at the Ranch. Skywalker Sound remains based at the Ranch, for which Lucasfilm pays a rental fee to George Lucas, who remains the property's owner.[8] Although Lucas maintains his offices there, he does not reside at the Ranch.[1] Lucasfilm Games was located at the ranch during the early company years.[9]

Nearby Lucas properties

Big Rock Ranch

Summit Skywalker Ranch

Big Rock Ranch is a later Lucasfilm development in Marin county at 3800 Lucas Valley Road[10] adjacent to Skywalker Ranch. The county's planning commission approved this facility in September 1996[10] and construction was completed in August 2002.[11] However, in November 2004, Lucas announced that the 250 employees of the ranch were to be moved to the Letterman Digital Arts Center.[12]

The ranch comprises 1,061 acres (429 ha), of which 43 acres (17 ha) are developed with 317,000 sq ft (29,500 m2) of office space.[11] Before the move to the Presidio in 2005, Big Rock Ranch housed the marketing, licensing, distribution and online divisions of Lucasfilm.[12] As of 2007 it was the headquarters of the animation division.[13] In 2018, Big Rock Ranch was renovated into an opulent, 56-room resort called "Summit at Skywalker Ranch". The facility hosts exclusive corporate retreat events.[14]

Others

Starting in 1988, Lucasfilm sought approval to develop another nearby property called Grady Ranch at 2400 Lucas Valley Road.[10] The most recent proposals called for a 263,701-square-foot (24,498.6 m2) digital film production center for the property. However, in the wake of delays caused by local resistance and environmental concerns, Lucas abandoned these plans in April 2012 and has instead decided to sell the land.[15][16]

Lucas also owns McGuire Ranch (3801 Lucas Valley Road[10]) and Loma Alta Ranch (4001 Lucas Valley Road[10]) in Marin County.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Strickler, Jeff (May 18, 2002). "Skywalker Ranch: George Lucas creates a magic world in real life". Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune. Archived from the original on October 10, 2007.
  2. ^ Labrecque, Jeff (May 10, 2005). "'Star Wars' Timeline". Entertainment Weekly. Meredith Corporation. Archived from the original on July 5, 2007. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
  3. ^ "Lucas can build additions, bridge on Skywalker ranch". Marin Independent Journal. MediaNews Group, Inc. ANG Newspapers. March 31, 2007. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
  4. ^ Allen, Nick (May 22, 2012). "George Lucas in planning row over Skywalker Ranch". Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Limited. Retrieved August 6, 2012.
  5. ^ a b Arnold, William (May 21, 2005). "Inside the secure world of Skywalker Ranch". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Hearst Communications Inc. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
  6. ^ "History". Skywalker Sound. Lucasfilm Ltd. Archived from the original on June 21, 2007. Retrieved May 20, 2007.
  7. ^ "Letterman Digital and New Media Arts Center". Lucasfilm Ltd. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  8. ^ Lev-Ram, Michal (November 1, 2015). "Behind the scenes at Lucasfilm's Skywalker Sound". Fortune. Retrieved November 2, 2015.
  9. ^ Diver, Mike (January 27, 2015). "Tim Schafer Discusses His Classic Video Games, 'Grim Fandango' and 'Monkey Island'". Vice.com. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
  10. ^ a b c d e Powell, Dean R. (September 26, 1996). "Lucasfilm, Ltd. Master Plan and Use Permit with construction". Marin County Planning Commission. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved October 28, 2007.
  11. ^ a b "Big Rock Ranch Project". CMA. August 2002. Archived from the original on October 16, 2007. Retrieved October 28, 2007.
  12. ^ a b Kravets, Jim (November 24, 2004). "Lucasfilm to transfer much of its workforce". Point Reyes Light. Archived from the original on October 6, 2007. Retrieved October 28, 2007.
  13. ^ Vilmur, Pete (September 21, 2007). "Clone Wars at the Ranch". StarWars.com. Lucasfilm. Archived from the original on November 11, 2007. Retrieved October 28, 2007.
  14. ^ Johnson, Nels (April 27, 2016). "George Lucas' plan: 57 overnight guest rooms at Big Rock Ranch under review". Marin Independent Journal. MediaNews Group, Inc. Bay Area News Group. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
  15. ^ a b Fimrite, Peter (April 11, 2012). "George Lucas withdraws Marin plans amid protests". San Francisco Chronicle.
  16. ^ "Grady Ranch". Marin Conservation League. Archived from the original on April 13, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
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