CBS to Shoot in Kennesaw
CBS reality show walls in houses in Kennesaw neighborhood
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Some families in Kennesaw are about to find out if good fences do make good neighbors.
Massive 20-foot walls and scaffolding have been built around nine homes in the Annandale section of Legacy Park, a community of 13 neighborhoods off Jiles Road.
And the word on the street is that a CBS camera crew soon will be filming a reality show.
Network vice president Colleen Sullivan couldn’t offer many details yet, but said the families will be competing against each other for a grand prize. The working title of the show is “Block Party,” she said.
“Hopefully we’ll be able to make an official announcement at some point next week,” Sullivan said Tuesday from her Los Angeles office.
Sullivan said the reality show is being produced by Mike Fleiss — creator of “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” — and Jay Bienstock, who has worked on “The Apprentice” and “Survivor.”
No word yet on when the show might air. After two weeks of set-up, filming is expected to begin Monday and last three weeks, according to Sullivan.
Kennesaw Mayor Mark Mathews, who lives in Legacy Park, said neighbors met with a CBS producer months ago to learn more about the show.
“If you do it here, understand I can see the set from my backyard,” Mathews said he told the producer during the meeting. All interested families in the community were invited to attend, but nine on one street were selected.
The walls created around the houses will make it difficult for residents to get a peek at what’s going on inside.
“Once we start filming, it’s in the lockdown situation,” Sullivan said.
Maggie Roe doesn’t live in the same neighborhood of Legacy Park, but has to pass to the set every time her family leaves and returns.
“My three-year-old says ‘mommy, let’s go see the movie,’” said Roe, who snapped pictures as the temporary walls went up.
The latest edition of the Legacy Park newsletter updated residents who may have wondered what was going on near the front the community.
“We’re looking forward to seeing it air,” Roe said.
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