America's Got Talent, the nationally televised competition show, is holding its Season 21 live tapings at Pasadena's Civic Auditorium.
American Idol is moving from Los Angeles to the Atlanta, Georgia, area for its 25th season.
America's Got Talent has filmed its live shows at Pasadena Civic Auditorium in recent years, with Season 21 tapings running from August 18 through September, according to Pasadena Now. The venue is hosting the show's Season 21 live tapings.
Georgia's Uncapped Credit Versus California's Narrow Rules
Georgia's Entertainment Industry Investment Act offers a transferable tax credit of 20% on qualified state expenditures over $500,000, plus an additional 10% uplift for productions that include the state logo, and the program carries no per-project or annual cap, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development. California, meanwhile, expanded its Film & Television Tax Credit Program to $750 million annually under Assembly Bills 132 and 1138 starting July 2025, but the rules largely exclude traditional unscripted shows, game shows and docuseries unless they meet narrow large-scale competition show criteria, according to Entertainment Partners.
Tennessee, the other state under consideration, offers payroll-based tax credits of 40% or 50% on qualified expenditures and sales-tax exemptions, per the Tennessee Entertainment Commission.
A Widening Pattern of Departures
The Masked Singer has also left California, as reported by the Times of India. An earlier precedent came when ABC's Press Your Luck, hosted by Elizabeth Banks, moved from Los Angeles to Trilith Studios in Fayetteville, Georgia, for Season 7 tapings, a shift Hoodline previously covered.
The numbers behind the exodus are stark. Reality television production in Greater Los Angeles dropped to 463 shoot days during the first quarter of 2026, a 52.5% decline compared to the same period in 2025, according to the Los Angeles Times. On-location filming across the region has also slipped, falling 16.1% overall in 2025 to 19,694 shoot days and dropping another 12% year-over-year in the second quarter of 2026, according to TheWrap.
California Lawmakers Respond, But Timing Is Tight
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation Sunday expanding the state's film and television tax credit program and establishing a dedicated post-production tax credit for editing, sound and visual effects, according to the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom. TMZ reports that local officials now face calls to increase tax incentives and keep productions in Los Angeles County.
America's Got Talent's Season 21 taping location is Pasadena. American Idol's confirmed exit and Press Your Luck's earlier relocation are among recent unscripted-production moves away from Los Angeles.
