“It’s not just about film,” Commissioner René García told Miami Today as he spoke of a new $10 million movie-making incentive program for the county in 2024. “It’s about really generating economic opportunities down here for our community.”
“At least with this $10 million we can start bringing film back to this community,” Sen. García said … to foster a better relationship with South America and European studios.”
“Miami-Dade County has been a world-class production hub,” he said, “for film, television … and digital media.”
Talking points sent to Miami Today by the commissioner’s office said the county is “home to 200 film production companies, 15 soundstages, 15 recording studios, three Spanish-language production facilities and many small businesses that support motion pictures and videos.
“While economically beneficial to the county, the (current) Miami-Dade Incentive Program only incentivizes small to medium productions as it provides rebates of $100,000 for productions spending at least $1 million or $50,000 for productions spending at least $500,000.”
A $10 million program will allow the county to step up its game, Senator García said.
“In order to stabilize the exodus of support personnel, crews, talent and ancillary businesses to other states and other Florida counties, and because the current Miami-Dade Incentive Program is not designed to attract high economic impact projects, the county create a competitive film incentive program to retain and attract major television series and motion pictures,” the points said.
As much as $250,000 can be injected into the local economy per day when a film shoots on a location. It also boosts tourism, the commissioner asserted.
“Other states such as Louisiana, North Carolina, and Georgia have created their own competitive film incentive programs drawing large films being shot there versus Miami-Dade County,” his points said.
The new program will foster “more collaboration with foreign studios so they can come into Miami-Dade County and we can start try to create better relationships,” he told Miami Today.
The new program will “take small bites at this,” Mr. García said. “It’s not going to happen overnight.”
The commissioner also said he needs to have a “deeper conversation with our friends in Tallahassee.” Florida has pulled back on incentives while neighboring states accelerated theirs.
Miami Dade College Is doing a lot of investments” in film education, Sen. García told Miami Today, and “we want to make sure that the students stay in our community. That’s my ultimate goal.”
