A look back at 2009: Rough sailing for PRS

Much changed for Plymouth Rock Studios in 2009, and it turned into a sobering reality check for the nine-figure movie studio project.

In February, the state gave PRS permission to move forward with the initial stages of construction on the studio’s access road off Clark Road. With all the excitement and setbacks of 2008, it looked like construction on the then-$550 million movie studio project slated to be built on the Waverly Oaks Golf Club property off Long Pond Road might actually, finally get underway.

But, come spring, PRS found itself in a tense waiting game with the state for its response to the company’s application for $50 million in I-Cubed funding. It was seed money to cover essential infrastructure improvements and changes – money state officials had all but promised.

When the state missed the May 18 deadline to respond to the studio’s application, state officials assured the press that money wasn’t an issue – it had already been earmarked for applications such as this. Weeks later, the state announced it had declined the studio company’s I-Cubed application, but officials claimed PRS might still qualify for other state assistance.

While PRS raised $50,000 for the Best Buddies program for the intellectually disabled and continued to support many other programs and organizations in town, the company’s Hollywood East TV cranked out one three-minute video after another chronicling the movie studio saga online as it unfolded day to day.

In September, the rocky road to Waverly looked like it was smoothing when PRS announced it had secured a $550 million construction loan from Prosperity International of Orlando, Fla. October was heralded with news that the groundbreaking was finally within sight. And PRS supporters cheered the progress of this project that promised jobs and a boost to the local economy.

Meanwhile, planning for the project kept moving forward. The Planning Board had voted to approve PRS’s master site plan. And, in November, the state Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs issued PRS a coveted certificate approving the company’s Environmental Impact Report.

But suddenly in November, the tone changed dramatically. PRS announced it had severed ties with its lender after Prosperity didn’t meet the terms of its contract.

And there was still more to come.

For months, The Boston Globe Spotlight Team had been working behind the scenes, digging up financial and personal information on PRS’s founding member, David Kirkpatrick. The Globe broke the story Sunday, Nov. 15, exposing Kirkpatrick’s financial woes, misrepresentation and questionable practices by Prosperity International, lawsuits filed against Good News Holdings (a company with which Kirkpatrick had earlier severed ties), Kirkpatrick’s own bankruptcy years ago, and suits alleging nonpayment of bills. The online story posted several letters, legal documents and even a personal e-mail to Kirkpatrick from vampire novelist Anne Rice. In it, Rice expresses her outrage that Kirkpatrick didn’t pay her for the rights to her novel Christ the Lord, which he originally planned to make into a movie.

PRS supporters seemed undaunted by the story, calling it one-sided and noting that many extremely successful business people, including Walt Disney and Donald Trump, have pasts littered with bankruptcies and lawsuits. But others called it PRS’s death knoll, and expressed disbelief that PRS didn’t conduct a thorough background check on Prosperity International prior to signing on with the company.

Days later, Kirkpatrick’s title on the Plymouth Rock Studio Web site had changed from PRS chairman and executive managing officer to executive managing officer of Rock Entertainment. This week, PRS CFO Joe DiLorenzo said Kirkpatrick, as PRS’s visionary, is in charge of content and heads up Rock Entertainment LLC, a company registered in Delaware. But Rock Entertainment is not listed as a subsidiary of Plymouth Rock Studios and the change in title raises a specter of concern for many who say Plymouth Rock Studios ceases to be Plymouth Rock Studios without David Kirkpatrick firmly at its helm. DiLorenzo explained that Kirkpatrick is not part of the PRS development and construction team because his job is content. But the title change suggests more to Kirkpatrick supporters who say, if he is no longer associated with Plymouth Rock Studios proper, the studio project is nothing more than just one more development.

Meanwhile, the PRS team is weighing its options and cutting costs. Three weeks ago, the company laid off nine employees, for a total of 15 since summer. PRS executives are currently seeking smaller office space and are considering moving out of their Cordage Park suite.