Nevada lawmakers looking to create a new Hollywood in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Las Vegas could be home to several new movie studio production complexes.

A measure making the rounds at the Nevada Legislature, Senate Bill 496, would offer lucrative tax breaks to productions who choose to film in the valley. According to Sen. Roberta Lange, D-Las Vegas, that could mean the production of anything from a TV show to a documentary or a “big screen” movie.

“You have to have the vision to see what could be in our state,” Lange said. “We could have high-paying jobs, train people, and put people back to work. We can create a new industry to sustain us into the future.”

One of the complexes would go up near Durango and the 215 Beltway. The other would be located in Summerlin. However, the state wouldn’t be involved in building those complexes. That would be done by private companies.

If it passes, the measure would offer as much as $190 million in film tax credits every year for two decades. In all, the state could offer nearly $5 billion in tax breaks. Part of the bill is designed to bolster education opportunities for those wanting to work in the movie industry.

Matthew Barry, a movie producer and casting director, who has worked on films such as “The Notebook” and “Con Air,” said a boost in incentives could lead to Las Vegas becoming a bigger movie-making destination. Outside of Hollywood, states likes Georgia, Louisiana, Oklahoma and New Mexico have made significant strides in recent years to attract movie and TV show producers.

Right now, he said Nevada is well behind those states.

“There’s not a lot of incentive right now [in Nevada],” Barry said. “It’s on the lower side. It really is about the tax incentives. New Mexico, Louisiana, Oklahoma, those are all quick-turnarounds right now for incentives. It’s partly about how fast you’ll get your credit back.”

A number of organizations have come out in support of the bill, including the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce and the Las Vegas Raiders, but the state’s Republican party has voiced concerns.