The Lone Star State's film scene got a significant nudge, with Fort Worth embracing the entire city for its latest Media Production Development Zone (MPDZ). Cue the Texas Film Commission giving it the green light. This move is poised to heighten the stakes in Texas's moving image production industry and propel economic growth, as noted in a recent announcement by the City of Fort Worth.
With its sights set on creating jobs and solidifying Texas' economic landscape, the MPDZ offers a financial incentive—a sales and use tax exemption lasting up to two years—for constructing and improving media production facilities. According to the details released by the City of Fort Worth, an area must be nominated as a Qualified Media Production Zone to reap these perks, and the potential tax exemption requires certifying a project's positive impact on state revenue.
The procedure for a prompt is straightforward: To qualify, a plot of land must be dedicated to the construction or elevation of media production facilities. The key for existing properties already in the media production game is to undergo upgrades focusing exclusively on amplifying media production capabilities. Fort Worth's city council nominates the qualified zones, while the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts and the Texas Film Commission step in for the certification proceedings.
The first site slated for development within the broadened MPDZ is 2701 Spirit Drive, nestled in Hillwood’s AllianceTexas corridor. This existing 224,616-square-foot property is on track to transform into a state-of-the-art soundstage and media production powerhouse designed to roll out the red carpet for large movie sets and long-standing TV shows.
