|
 E-mail Story Print Friendly
Biz GM Sued Over Impala Fix |
Monday, June 08, 2009
Cruces urged to woo Hollywood
By Brook Stockberger
Las Cruces Sun-News
LAS CRUCES — Southern New Mexico would like to attract a variety of different companies to expand its job base, and some fields such as high-tech industry, alternative energy solutions and aerospace fields have been often mentioned as areas of potential growth.
Writer and producer Michael Harbert, though, doesn't want the bottom half of the state to forget about the entertainment industry.
Harbert, managing director with The Philips Stages in Albuquerque where television show "In Plain Sight" filmed much of its second season, spoke recently at Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces during the MVEDA Regional Economic Development Forum.
He said that, when the movie "Terminator Salvation" was in full production in the Duke City, the film spent about $385,000 a day.
He said that, while Las Cruces "can't compete with some of what is going on in Albuquerque," with the right infrastructure, it could. And, in the mean time, there are a bunch of other projects Southern New Mexico could lure to the area.
"There are a thousand of feature films in the $5 million to $50 million range," he said. "They've got to be produced somewhere."
But it doesn't end there. Television shows, music videos, animated programs and video game productions could become economic generators.
Still, infrastructure needs to be in place and the people in Hollywood need to know about the Las Cruces area.
In Hollywood, "the brain starts at Albuquerque and drifts up to Santa Fe," Harbert said. "They think about Albuquerque and Albuquerque Studios and Santa Fe and cool restaurants."
He said the southern part of the state should take out ads in entertainment industry publications like Variety and The Hollywood Reporter that read: "The other New Mexico. We're here!"
As for infrastructure, Las Cruces could start with a few sound stages.
"That can be a warehouse, and you put up some sound blankets and bring in some air conditioning units," he said.
Most important, Harbert said, is that the state needs to continue to be aggressive with incentives such as cash rebates to producers.
You also can send comments via our comment form
|
|
