National Park Service adamant about construction plans for $30 million film
Friday, February 12, 1999. The Roanoke Times
Story by Story by S.D. Harrington

Goodlatte, Goode want area to reap economic benefits filming will bring. Movie deal now involves congressmen

The stumbling block is Gary Everhardt, Blue Ridge Parkway superintendent, of Asheville, N.C.

Reps. Bob Goodlatte and Virgil Goode hope to broker a deal today with National Park Service officials that would allow Columbia TriStar to film a Sandra Bullock movie at the federally owned Peaks of Otter Lodge.

Columbia TriStar wants to film "28 Days," a movie about a New York society columnist (Bullock) who checks into an alcohol rehabilitation center and falls in love with a baseball player, played by country music superstar Garth Brooks.

Most of the film would be shot during March, April and May at the Peaks of Otter Lodge and at other Western Virginia locales, including Roanoke and Bedford, according to the Virginia Film Office.

But park service officials have rejected preliminary proposals to build temporary facades at the lodge, widen walkways and possibly remove some shrubs.

Columbia TriStar has said that if an agreement isn't reached by today, it will film the $30 million movie in another state, eliminating a boost to the regional economy that state officials say could amount to $7 million to $10 million.

"We're going to make the point that this will be a help and not a hindrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway," said Goode, who became involved with the issue after local and state officials approached him.

But Gary Everhardt, superintendent of the parkway, said the temporary set would interrupt the peaceful environment that people visit the Peaks of Otter for -- during three of the busiest months.

"You're talking about one of the biggest economic engines in Southwest Virginia," said Everhardt, whose office is in Asheville, N.C.

He said a recent study shows that the 470-mile parkway generates $2.3 billion annually in Virginia and North Carolina. And the Peaks of Otter is one of the most popular attractions along the parkway, he said.

According to a proposal for the movie set obtained by The Roanoke Times, Columbia TriStar would build a temporary facade on an existing lodge building and a free-standing facade almost perpendicular to another lodge building.

Movie crews would add shrubs around the free-standing facade and possibly remove some existing shrubs.

They also would widen a gravel walkway to accommodate a car and build a small floating dock on the lake.

Goodlatte said he has looked at the proposal and sees no long-term impact on the lodge or its surroundings.

"It involves some extensive work. But the lodge will be well compensated," Goodlatte said Thursday. "It certainly is going to be a significant economic boost to the region."

The lodge is operated by a private company, which has been supportive of the filming, according to Virginia Film Office documents.

Peaks of Otter Lodge general manager Arthur Hill could not be reached for comment Thursday.

But the park service controls the lodge and Everhardt will have the final say in whether the filming can be done, according to a spokesman in the park service's Washington headquarters.

Everhardt says Columbia TriStar will have to make some compromises before he will approve a filming permit.

One option, he said, would be to film the movie during a slower season or to film the lodge as it is.

"We'd like to cooperate with them," Everhardt said. "We have a long history of cooperation with movie companies."

Everhardt says he has required changes to production crew proposals, but he has never refused to allow a movie company to film along the Blue Ridge Parkway. He ticked off a list of movies that have been mostly or partially filmed along the parkway within the last decade, including "The Last of the Mohicans," "The Fugitive," "Patch Adams" and "Nell."

Everhardt said a movie that stars Tom Hanks will soon be filmed near Blowing Rock, N.C. Initially, that production company wanted to make changes to a historic building.

But the company compromised and left the building as it was, Everhardt said.