“.. Sir Peter Jackson’s plans to build a world-class film museum in Shelly Bay were scuppered when Sir Ngatata Love’s partner sought $750,000 in consultancy fees to help secure the land.
Months before the Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust gained the right to buy the former air force base on the Miramar Peninsula from the Crown, Jackson wrote to Sir Ngatata outlining a plan to create a permanent home for his vast array of Lord of the Rings props.
“I have always thought that Shelly Bay would be an ideal site for a state-of-the-art exhibition building of international standard,” Jackson wrote in March 2008.
He added that he was concerned about commercial exploitation of coastal Wellington and he would be “honoured” to discuss the plans personally with Sir Ngatata.
Discussions over the following months were expanded to include a digital training school on the site.
But the plans were abandoned after Sir Ngatata’s partner, Lorraine Skiffington, approached Matt Dravitzki, general manager of Jackson’s Wingnut Films -
- seeking up to $750,000 plus GST – including $250,000 up front.
In return, Ms Skiffington, a lawyer, undertook to conduct work including securing the acquisition of the land – and composing a master plan and publicity plan…”
(cont..)
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