Menu Close

Gateway Studios & Production Services is Bringing the Music Industry Back to Missouri

  • September 10, 2021

“The primary goal and dream was to bring the music industry back to St. Louis.”

That was the message from David Haskell, President of Business Development at Gateway Studios. The company recently announced plans to construct the largest entertainment manufacturing, production services and rehearsal facility of its kind in the U.S. in Missouri.

“This is a big, big commitment – $100 million,” Haskell told the local leaders at a recent event. “There’s not a facility anywhere in the world like this. You can build it from scratch exactly like you want it.”

The 32-acre, $111 million Gateway Studios development will include a 330,000-square-foot complex, and employ more than 100 highly skilled music and film manufacturing and production professionals. Plans to offer extensive training and educational opportunities will build a solid talent pipeline for this new industry in Missouri. The new facility will also see the manufacturing, building, testing, and launching of globally touring musical acts and movies.

Nearly everyone involved has one degree of separation from St. Louis, according to Haskell. Gateway’s CEO Trey Kerr is from St. Louis. So is Ethan Weber, Lighting Director for the Rolling Stones. And Jesse Sandler, President of Studio Operations, also has a St. Louis connection.

“This is a game-changer for the live event and production industry,” said Trey Kerr, Gateway’s Chief Executive Officer, at the time of the announcement. “We are adding capacity and additional services, while creating hundreds of jobs for an industry that has largely been on pause for more than a year. We have an extraordinary senior leadership team with more than 100 years of experience in live touring production. (Gateway Studios) offers audio, lighting, video production services, and live event management. This is a facility that could only have been built from the ground up, designed and planned by industry professionals, so complete that it is without compromise.”

Gateway Studios’ new campus will also feature a new hotel, adding even more jobs and economic benefit to the region. Check out the full press release of Gateway Studios’ announcement here.

What Next?