The "Walking Dead" town that was brought to life by the hit AMC show is now up for sale on eBay for $680,000.
Grantville, Georgia — or at least nine buildings that make up the bulk of its downtown section — was left nearly a ghost town after the nearby textile mills closed down around the area in the
1970s and 1980s, 11alive.com reported. Grantville mayor Jim Sells bought the nine buildings, most built in the 1880s,
during the recession, according to ABC News.
But then the entertainment industry came knocking in the form of "Walking Dead" producers searching for a modern-day, post-apocalyptic look. Particularly in seasons three and four, the town provided the backdrop of old buildings that almost became an unspoken character in the series.
"Scouts from the entertainment industry love the brick, 'old-town-square-type' buildings," Sells told ABC News. "Downtown Grantville has an historic appeal. A lot of the buildings were built in the 1880s, and we have a railroad runs right through the heart of town."
The town has now become a magnet for other Hollywood projects as well, with scenes from the movie "Lawless" with Shia LaBeouf and Jessica Chastain being shot there, along with Jim Carrey's "Dumb and Dumber To," and "The War" with Kevin Costner.
Town officials said that four other Hollywood movies have contacted them about the town's availability as well, continuing Grantville's entertainment run.
Sells told 11alive.com, though, that fans come to Grantville for "The Walking Dead."
"Our main industry right now is 'Walking Dead' tourists," he said. "We have people coming from all over the world because of 'The Walking Dead.' That's paying the bills downtown."
The eBay website noted that the nine buildings are selling for $30 per square foot with annual property taxes of $4,524 and is currently receiving $6,500 a month in rentals with less than half the buildings occupied. The website said space is available that would be good for restaurants and bars.
"The hard work has been done," Sells said, speaking to the buildings' renovation and steady income stream from the "Walking Dead" tours. "We're looking for somebody to put it all into action."
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