Osceola County has a new pitch for Hollywood: forget the beaches and theme parks for a minute, and look at NeoCity's tech campuses, Old Town's neon-lit streets, and the golf courses of ChampionsGate. Experience Kissimmee announced the launch of Film Kissimmee, an official film commission built to market the region directly to production companies.
A Tourism Agency Bets on the Big Screen
The new commission already has a searchable database of more than 100 potential filming locations available to production groups, according to WFTV. Experience Kissimmee says it hopes the program will grow over time, modeling it on the success of its sports marketing arm. Nick Floyd, the agency's manager of video production, has been appointed director of the new Kissimmee Film Commission, bringing hands-on production experience to the role, according to a release from PR Newswire.
Film Kissimmee also joined the statewide trade group Film Florida as a council member this month and uploaded 14 locally produced promotional videos to the free streaming platform Film Florida TV, Positively Osceola reports. Film Florida TV showcases Florida-related creative work.
Scouting More Than 100 Sites in Under Two Weeks
A veteran location scout cataloged over 100 local properties during a 12-day scouting period, per the Orlando Business Journal, with sites ranging from the NeoCity technology hub and the Old Town entertainment complex to downtown Kissimmee and the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate. The commission built its online location database using Reel-Scout, an industry platform widely used by film offices across North America that gives producers searchable site photography, contact information, and parking accessibility details.
Experience Kissimmee CEO DT Minich said film and television productions bring substantial spending to a destination, covering hotel rooms, rental vans, food and beverage, hair and makeup, lighting, and the production companies themselves, according to WFTV. The agency is betting that film and television work can become a new economic driver for Osceola County, generating opportunities for local businesses and residents.
Modeled on a Decade of Sports Tourism Growth
Experience Kissimmee is explicitly drawing on the playbook of its sports marketing division, which launched more than a decade ago and now books more than 100 events each year, per WFTV. The agency's own figures, presented to county commissioners and reported by Positively Osceola, show that division grew from booking 35 events in its first year to 195 events in 2026 — a scale the tourism bureau hopes its film arm can eventually approach.
Osceola County's tourism economy is already massive, generating $11 billion in total economic impact and $7.3 billion in direct visitor spending in 2025, a figure Hoodline previously reported in coverage of the county's large-format vacation rental market. Film Kissimmee is betting that screen exposure can compound that tourism draw.
No Cash Rebates, at Least Not Yet
Unlike some of its neighbors, Osceola County isn't opening its wallet to lure productions. Neighboring Orange County opened applications in April for a five-year, $25 million local film incentive program offering up to 20% cash rebates for qualified productions spending at least $400,000 locally and requiring an on-screen credit, according to Wrapbook. Film Kissimmee, by contrast, is leaning on location variety, database infrastructure, and industry partnerships rather than direct subsidies.
That approach keeps the focus on location variety, database infrastructure, and industry partnerships.
Whether a robust location database and tourism infrastructure alone can draw major feature productions to Osceola County without a dedicated cash rebate program remains to be seen. For now, Experience Kissimmee is betting that the same growth trajectory it saw with sports tourism can repeat itself on a film set.
