Skywalker Ranch

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.{{cite news |url=https://ew.com/article/2005/05/13/online-only-expanded-timeline-star-wars-history/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070705140814/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1059915,00.html |url-status=live |archive-date=July 5, 2007 |title='Star Wars' Timeline |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=May 10, 2005 |last=Labrecque |first=Jeff |access-date=April 16, 2021 |publisher=Meredith Corporation}} 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.{{cite news |url=http://www.marinij.com/westmarin/ci_5564105 |title=Lucas can build additions, bridge on Skywalker ranch |newspaper=Marin Independent Journal |date=March 31, 2007 |access-date=August 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929091445/http://www.marinij.com/westmarin/ci_5564105 |archive-date=September 29, 2007 |publisher=MediaNews Group, Inc. |agency=ANG Newspapers}} Residents of the area have fought his plan to build a larger studio on the property, citing light and noise pollution.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/9283200/George-Lucas-in-planning-row-over-Skywalker-Ranch.html |title=George Lucas in planning row over Skywalker Ranch |newspaper=Telegraph |date=May 22, 2012 |access-date=August 6, 2012 |first=Nick |last=Allen |publisher=Telegraph Media Group Limited}}

File:Skywalker Ranch Ewok Lake.jpg

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.{{cite news |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/movies/223819_skywalker12.html |title=Inside the secure world of Skywalker Ranch |newspaper=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |last=Arnold |first=William |date=May 21, 2005 |access-date=August 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015222946/http://www.seattlepi.com/ae/movies/article/Inside-the-secure-world-of-Skywalker-Ranch-1173112.php |archive-date=October 15, 2012 |publisher=Hearst Communications Inc.}} Skywalker Sound was moved onto the ranch in 1987, now occupying the Technical Building.{{cite web |url=http://www.skysound.com/about_history.html |work=Skywalker Sound |title=History |access-date=May 20, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070621031258/http://www.skysound.com/about_history.html |archive-date=June 21, 2007 |publisher=Lucasfilm Ltd.}} The Main House has a company research library under a stained-glass dome. 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.

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.{{cite web |url=http://lucasfilm.com/letterman-digital-arts-center-san-francisco |title=Letterman Digital and New Media Arts Center |access-date=June 11, 2018 |work=Lucasfilm Ltd. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143110/http://lucasfilm.com/letterman-digital-arts-center-san-francisco |archive-date=June 12, 2018}} 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.{{cite news |last=Lev-Ram |first=Michal |title=Behind the scenes at Lucasfilm's Skywalker Sound |url=http://fortune.com/2015/10/30/lucasfilms-skywalker-sound/ |access-date=November 2, 2015 |magazine=Fortune |date=November 1, 2015}} Although Lucas maintains his offices there, he does not reside at the Ranch. Lucasfilm Games was located at the ranch during the early company years.{{cite news |first=Mike |last=Diver |url=https://www.vice.com/en_dk/article/tim-schafer-discusses-grim-fandango-and-monkey-island-990 |title=Tim Schafer Discusses His Classic Video Games, 'Grim Fandango' and 'Monkey Island' |date=January 27, 2015 |access-date=August 18, 2019 |work=Vice.com}}

File:Summit Skywalker Ranch.jpg

Big Rock Ranch is a later Lucasfilm development in Marin county at 3800 Lucas Valley Road adjacent to Skywalker Ranch. The county's planning commission approved this facility in September 1996{{cite web |url=http://www.co.marin.ca.us/depts/CD/main/mcbds/plng/devproj/lucsr-1.html |title=Lucasfilm, Ltd. Master Plan and Use Permit with construction |date=September 26, 1996 |access-date=October 28, 2007 |issue=6 |first=Dean R. |last=Powell |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927190018/http://www.co.marin.ca.us/depts/CD/main/mcbds/plng/devproj/lucsr-1.html |archive-date=September 27, 2007 |work=Marin County Planning Commission}} and construction was completed in August 2002.{{cite web |url=http://www.cmaincsf.com/services/bigrockranch1.html |title=Big Rock Ranch Project |work=CMA |access-date=October 28, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016192357/http://cmaincsf.com/services/bigrockranch1.html |archive-date=October 16, 2007 |date=August 2002}} However, in November 2004, Lucas announced that the 250 employees of the ranch were to be moved to the Letterman Digital Arts Center.{{cite news |url=http://www.ptreyeslight.com/stories/nov25_04/lucasfilm_move.html |title=Lucasfilm to transfer much of its workforce |last=Kravets |first=Jim |newspaper=Point Reyes Light |date=November 24, 2004 |access-date=October 28, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071006084342/http://www.ptreyeslight.com/stories/nov25_04/lucasfilm_move.html |archive-date=October 6, 2007}}

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. Before the move to the Presidio in 2005, Big Rock Ranch housed the marketing, licensing, distribution and online divisions of Lucasfilm. {{As of|2007}} it was the headquarters of the animation division.{{cite web |url=https://www.starwars.com/theclonewars/blogs/f20070921/index.html |title=Clone Wars at the Ranch |last=Vilmur |first=Pete |date=September 21, 2007 |access-date=October 28, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071111135144/http://www.starwars.com/theclonewars/blogs/f20070921/index.html |archive-date=November 11, 2007 |work=StarWars.com |publisher=Lucasfilm}}

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.{{cite news |url=http://www.marinij.com/general-news/20160427/george-lucas-plan-57-overnight-guest-rooms-at-big-rock-ranch-under-review |title=George Lucas' plan: 57 overnight guest rooms at Big Rock Ranch under review |first=Nels |last=Johnson |date=April 27, 2016 |access-date=August 18, 2019 |newspaper=Marin Independent Journal |publisher=MediaNews Group, Inc. |agency=Bay Area News Group}}

Starting in 1988, Lucasfilm sought approval to develop another nearby property called Grady Ranch at 2400 Lucas Valley Road. The most recent proposals called for a {{convert|263,701|sqft|adj=on}} 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.{{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/04/10/BA781O1F0I.DTL |title=George Lucas withdraws Marin plans amid protests |date=April 11, 2012 |last=Fimrite |first=Peter |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle}}{{cite web |url=http://www.conservationleague.org/advocacy/200-grady-ranch.html |title=Grady Ranch |publisher=Marin Conservation League |access-date=May 9, 2012 |archive-date=April 13, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120413215343/http://www.conservationleague.org/advocacy/200-grady-ranch.html |url-status=dead}}

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

{{Reflist}}

{{Portal|San Francisco Bay Area}}

• {{Official website |http://www.skysound.com/ranch/}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070323011556/http://skysound.com/qtvr/qtvr_tour_stag.html Virtual Tour of the Stag Theater]
• [http://www.google.com/maps/place/Skywalker+Ranch/@38.0619922,-122.6448249,322m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x8085be9660dc9297:0x3142aa6af448d191 Google map view centered on the Main House]

{{George Lucas}}

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Category:Movie ranches

Category:Ranches in California

Category:George Lucas

Category:Lucasfilm

Category:Buildings and structures in Marin County, California

Category:Cinema of the San Francisco Bay Area

Category:Geography of Marin County, California

Category:Houses in Marin County, California

Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1978

Category:1978 establishments in California