A decommissioned airport terminal outside Pittsburgh is being positioned as an unlikely but potentially powerful addition to the U.S. production landscape, as regional leaders and industry advocates push to convert the former landside terminal at Pittsburgh International Airport into a large-scale film and television facility.

The initiative, known as the Terminal P Project, would transform the three-story structure—spanning roughly 440,000 square feet—into a flexible production environment featuring 60-foot ceilings and expansive interior space capable of accommodating major builds, stages, and controlled shooting conditions. With an adjacent hotel and direct flights to Los Angeles, proponents are framing the site as both logistically efficient and production-ready.

The proposal reflects a broader trend across the industry: the repurposing of underutilized infrastructure into production assets. Airport terminals, with their wide concourses, high clearances, and built-in support systems, offer a unique alternative to traditional stage construction—particularly at a time when developers are looking to control costs while still delivering scale.

Backers are also leaning into Pennsylvania’s incentive structure as a key selling point. The Pittsburgh Film Office has emphasized the combination of competitive tax credits and a deep local crew base as central to the project’s appeal, noting that the region is home to approximately 5,000 skilled film professionals across departments.

Support for the concept extends to state leadership, with Josh Shapiro encouraging filmmakers and studios to consider the site for future projects. The effort is being framed not just as a single development, but as part of a larger strategy to position Western Pennsylvania as a viable production hub.

Industry voices with ties to the region have also weighed in. Billy Porter, a Pittsburgh native, highlighted the city’s history of reinvention, pointing to its ability to transform legacy infrastructure into new economic engines.

Airport leadership sees similar potential. Executives at Pittsburgh International Airport have described the project as an opportunity to elevate the region’s profile within the global production ecosystem, signaling a long-term ambition to attract film and television investment.

For the production community, the Terminal P concept underscores a shifting reality: as demand for flexible, large-scale environments continues to evolve, the definition of a “studio” is expanding. From warehouses to retail spaces—and now airport terminals—producers are increasingly looking beyond traditional footprints to find the right combination of scale, cost, and location.

Whether the project ultimately materializes remains to be seen. But the pitch is clear: turn a retired transportation hub into a next-generation production asset, and in the process, redefine what production infrastructure can look like in the U.S. market.