Police, fire, and location fees boost city revenue during production run
Summary
– Worcester billed more than $190,000 for public safety details tied to filming
– Police and fire services accounted for the bulk of the revenue
– Additional payments secured access to key city properties
Worcester saw a financial boost during production of The Walking Dead: Dead City as the zombie drama transformed parts of Central Massachusetts into a post-apocalyptic battleground.
Records show the city charged $178,702.19 for police and fire department details between May 2, 2024, and Nov. 21, 2025. Police services made up $151,253.03 of that total, while fire department details accounted for $27,449.16.
As of Jan. 1, 2026, $40,264.43 for police details and $6,891.44 for fire details remained outstanding. The remaining balance has already been paid to the city.
Newfound Lake Productions I, LLC., the company tied to the series, also agreed to additional location fees. The production paid $9,500 to utilize the Memorial Auditorium and $3,500 to film at 30 Major Taylor Blvd., adding $13,000 in property access payments.
Downtown Worcester served as a backdrop throughout 2024 and 2025, with crews converting busy streets into scenes of devastation. The grim atmosphere did little to dampen fan excitement.
September 2025 brought a different energy when series lead Jeffrey Dean Morgan greeted fans gathered at Mechanic and Norwich streets. Cheers erupted as he stopped for selfies and praised the city’s enthusiasm.
