Gray Television Purchases Third Rail Studios

Gray Television said Monday that it has purchased Third Rail Studios in Doraville, Ga., from The Integral Group for $27.5 million, a move that will increase the station group’s production capacity.

Third Rail, a movie and television production facility developed by The Integral Group in 2016, is located adjacent to, and now will be integrated into, Gray’s entertainment-centric studio and community development, called Assembly. Assembly is currently under construction at the former site of the General Motors Assembly Plant, which is located inside the I-285 perimeter. Integral purchased the property in 2014 and master developed the site before selling to Gray in March 2021.

Third Rail Studios opened its doors in 2016. Its stages, mill and support spaces, and production offices will serve as an anchor for the future multi-studio site. For the past few years, Netflix has produced a number of feature-length programs at Third Rail, including the Ozark series and other productions and movies like Rampage, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson; Mile 22, starring Mark Wahlberg; the Dolly Parton series; and The Ballad of Richard Jewell, among others. Recently, Apple leased a significant amount of space within Third Rail Studios to help fulfill its production needs.

Hilton H. Howell, chairman of the board and CEO of Gray Television, said: “Third Rail Studios is a pioneer in bringing film and television production to the Atlanta community, and we are excited to join forces to create an entire studio city to serve Georgia’s booming media industry. We are thankful for all of the work already completed at Assembly and proud to usher in the next chapter for the historical site.”

Assembly features access to I-285, I-85, two MARTA stations and DeKalb-Peachtree Airport. Development plans for Assembly include studio space, mixed-use development, as well as entertainment areas that will be a go-to destination for the Atlanta community. The first phase is expected to be finished by fall 2022.

“Our commitment remains to drive regional economic development for decades to come. Today’s transaction ensures the continuation of the original vision,” said Egbert Perry, CEO of The Integral Group. “As we close out our role at Third Rail Studios, we leave the future of the entire Assembly project, now augmented with Third Rail Studios, in the capable hands of Gray.”