Why Nevada should revive and expand film tax incentives

By Richard Santomauro

Nevada News and Views

As a proud Nevadan, I’ve watched our economy thrive on the pillars of tourism, gaming, and entertainment. Yet despite Las Vegas being the entertainment capital of the world, we’ve barely scratched the surface of the booming film and television industry.

Earlier this year, Assembly Bill 238—which proposed a $1.4 billion expansion of Nevada’s film tax credits over 15 years—narrowly passed the Assembly but died in the Senate without a vote.

Our current program is capped at just $10 million per year. That’s barely enough to support niche productions, let alone build an industry.

It’s time we take a page from Georgia’s playbook. Since 2005, their Entertainment Industry Investment Act has transformed the state into the “Hollywood of the South,” offering up to 30 percent in transferable tax credits on qualified production spending.

Even using the most conservative state audit numbers—not industry spin—Georgia’s film program has become a model of smart economic development.

Benefit #1: Proven Job Creation

According to Georgia’s own audits, the program supported 34,354 jobs in 2022, including 19,500 directly in the film sector. These are stable, skilled positions—crew members, post-production professionals, and logistics coordinators.

Critics argue that the same money could create jobs elsewhere, but the numbers say otherwise. The same funds redirected to other uses would have created just 27,679 jobs—that’s a loss of more than 6,600 opportunities.

In Nevada, even scaling conservatively to our smaller population, we could expect around 9,600 jobs with an expanded program—offering new career paths in regions beyond the Las Vegas Strip.

Benefit #2: Substantial Economic Output

Georgia saw $4.5 billion in total economic output and $2.3 billion in value added—even after stripping away inflated multipliers and counting only spending that wouldn’t have happened without the credits.

Applied to Nevada, this could translate into more than $1.2 billion in new economic activity, driving growth in sectors from hospitality to construction, and boosting areas like Reno’s tech corridor and rural towns seeking diversification.

Benefit #3: Immediate Boost to Local Businesses

Film productions don’t just hire crews—they fill hotels, rent equipment, dine at local restaurants, and pay sales taxes. Every shoot becomes a miniature economic engine. That aligns perfectly with Nevada’s existing tourism-driven tax base.

Imagine the marketing power of blockbuster films showcasing the Nevada desert or the glittering Vegas skyline. We’d attract more visitors—and we wouldn’t have to spend a dime on ads.

Benefit #4: Higher Tax Revenues Than Alternatives

In Georgia, film incentives generated $224.7 million in state tax revenue and $65.7 million for local governments in a single year. That’s nearly three times the $80 million that alternative uses of the same funds would have yielded.

Here in Nevada, where our economy is built around taxable spending, a well-designed film program could amplify—not cannibalize—our revenue stream.

️ Benefit #5: Long-Term Industry Infrastructure

Yes, Georgia’s program cost $1.35 billion in tax credits in 2022 and returned about 19 cents per dollar in direct revenue. But that’s only part of the story.

Over time, those incentives have helped build permanent studios, develop a skilled workforce, and grow a self-sustaining industry that can stand on its own.

Nevada’s version of AB 238 even included plans for permanent soundstage infrastructure in Summerlin, a long-term investment that would attract productions year after year.

Other states without strong incentives—like California before its expansions—watched productions flee. Nevada risks being left behind. Our $10 million cap is minuscule next to Georgia’s billion-dollar program. Even the proposed $95 million annually in AB 238 is modest by comparison, yet would likely deliver proportional returns and long-term strategic advantage.

It’s Time to Roll the Credits on Inaction

Let’s not let the failure of AB 238 be the final scene. Nevada has the talent, the landscapes, and the global brand to compete—and thrive—in the film and television space.

Conservative estimates show we stand to gain thousands of jobs, billions in output, and hundreds of millions in revenue—far exceeding what we’d get from traditional subsidies or government spending alone.

Lawmakers: revive this initiative. Use Georgia’s conservative success as our blueprint. Let’s bring the cameras, the crews, and the economic impact home to Nevada—and give our state a starring role on the national stage.