Short documentary on new development draws a crowd
Southern Land tries unique angle with 'McEwen: The Movie'
By RACHEL STULTS • Staff Writer • February 3, 2008
The Tennessean

FRANKLIN — Nearly 600 people packed into a theater at Thoroughbred Cinemas in Cool Springs Thursday, but it wasn't for a showing of just any winter blockbuster.

City leaders, developers, real estate agents and potential residents gathered for the premiere of McEwen: The Movie, a 15-minute documentary about the making of the Southern Land Co. community off McEwen Drive in Cool Springs.

The documentary, produced by MP Films along with Southern Land employees, examines life in Cool Springs after the growth spurt of the past two decades. In the movie, McEwen promises to transform the perception of Cool Springs as sprawling suburbia into a dense, urban center.

When completed, McEwen will include 950 town homes, condominiums and apartments among 1.1 million square feet of retail and office space, including a 140-room hotel, restaurants and shops. Whole Foods Market is the first tenant that has been announced for the $333 million community. Developers say they expect to announce more tenants soon.

"We knew there was a lot of interest out there, and we spent a lot of time trying to get out the message that (McEwen) is something distinct," said Jim Cheney, a spokesman for Southern Land Co. "So we stepped outside the norm."

After showing the documentary, developers unveiled a large-scale model of McEwen and its town center, which will be on display at Thoroughbred Cinemas for the next few weeks.

"We constantly buy into things when there's nothing to see," said Cameron Drake, 38, a Cool Springs resident who has been eyeing the town homes in McEwen. "With something like this, you can see everything."

Contact Rachel Stults at 771-5415 or rstults@tennessean.com