JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville’s film industry could soon see a major boost after the City Council approved $400,000 to negotiate with a California-based production company.
In a 15-4 vote, council members approved moving funds from a city debt management account into a special fund supporting film and TV projects. The money will enable the Office of Economic Development to begin negotiations with a production company currently known only as “Project T.”
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The potential production could bring significant economic benefits to Jacksonville:
- An estimated $7 return for every $1 invested
- Approximately 100 jobs for Jacksonville residents
- Purchase of 2,400 hotel room nights for production staff
Local actress Kailey Anderson, who launched an online petition supporting the initiative, sees this as a crucial step forward for Jacksonville’s entertainment industry.
“The main reason why I started the petition was because I knew I wanted to have a written form of support,” Anderson said. She points to other successful film markets as examples of the potential impact. “This ordinance has so many direct impacts because of the way that I have personally seen film productions create entire economies. I mean, look at Atlanta.”
For local entertainment professionals like Anderson, the development could mean more opportunities to work locally.
“Being an actress in Jacksonville is a challenge in that it’s not a major hub or a major market,” she said. “I love Jacksonville. I love living here, but I also love my career, and I love what I do, and it would be so amazing to be able to live where I love to live and work where I want to work on the scale that I want to work.”
While specific details about the potential production remain confidential under state law, any actual incentive money for the production would require another vote from the City Council for approval.
Click here to see the online petition.