< Previous88 KENTUCKY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GUIDE Why It Works e diligent development of Kentucky’s fi lm industry is built on the back of the aggressive Kentucky Entertainment Incentive (KEI) Program. KEI provides a % refundable tax credit, which can grow to % in qualifying counties, carrying a $ , minimum spend for up to $ million back. Currently, the state caps its tax credit at $ million. In , the state approved productions through the KEI Program. e approvals made nearly $ million available across various television, documentary, feature-length fi lm and National Touring Broadway Show productions. e revival and reframing of the state’s fi lm tax credit in continues to prove strategic. In , the KEI Program saw approvals of approximately $ million more than it did in and over $. million than in . “Part of what makes Kentucky appealing and an ideal fi lming destination, on top of the incentive we have, is that your dollar is going further than it is in California, Georgia or New Mexico,” said Bates. e incentive works as a three-legged stool. e fi rst leg is supported by the vigorous KEI program that appeals to industry executives and independent fi lmmakers alike. e second leg forms as infrastructure suited to every aspect of production activity arises. e fi nal leg is held up by a highly skilled and readily available workforce that pulls these initiatives together, including a growing base of apprenticeship programs, such as the one led by Asbury University in Wilmore. Despite downturns the nation’s fi lm industry has faced in recent years, it remains evergreen. People crave the ability to attend a showing at their local theater or log on to any number of streaming services to relax with a new or classic fi lm and transport from reality. Kentucky’s tax credit is suited to keep future productions going with ease. “To me this is about building an apparatus to be able to tell our stories, because that is how we orient ourselves to the world, and sometimes that’s how we make it through the most nightmarish circumstances,” noted Bates. Ethan Hawke’s “Wildcat” fi lm was shot entirely in Kentucky in 2023, featuring his daughter, Maya Hawke (ABOVE RIGHT). Photos by Kennedy CochranKENTUCKY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GUIDE 89 Find a Hidden Gem Communities aren’t always aware of their fi lming location gems. e truth of the matter is a majority of productions aren’t looking for glitz and glam in the background of every shot. Iconic fi lm and television productions take place in the most unlikely of places, ones o en overlooked or forgotten about. Kentucky’s diverse geography and infrastructure allow the state to double as any location in the world through the power of a camera lens. e Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development aims to present the ins-and-outs of every community around the state in its raw form, from dolled-up main streets to dormant industrial areas and everything in between. In compiling an extensive database of fi lming locations, scouts have the ability to superimpose their unique vision well before the camera gets rolling. In an example best seen today, a vacant offi ce building centrally located in downtown Louisville has become a hotspot for three new feature-length fi lms. e most recent production is “Dead Man’s Wire,” starring Bill Skarsgård and Dacre Montgomery, directed by Louisville native and renowned independent fi lmmaker Gus Van Sant. With the addition of dedicated studio space coming to life at the former Louisville Armory venue, now named Louisville Gardens, the city plans to remain one of the state’s premier destinations for creatives. e ,-sq.- . studio will feature four sound stages, revamped offi ce space and a black box theatre. is same activity expands just over an hour east in Lexington, as Wrigley Media Group has begun operations at the state’s largest production facility, LEX Studios. At , sq. ., the former Woodhill Cinemas site hosts three sound stages, production offi ces, various green rooms and amenities fi t for any size fi lm or television project. As the state is now being approached to introduce more facilities of this kind outside of Kentucky’s largest metros, Bates shared that these ventures are just the beginning of what’s to come. “ at kind of activity begets other activities,” he said. “ at’s exactly what we want to see.” Kentucky off ers over 1,300 physical fi lming locations across the state. Photo courtesy of FilmLEX90 KENTUCKY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GUIDE Welcome to QUALITY OF LIFE KENTUCKY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GUIDE 91 When you think of Kentucky, we'd bet bourbon and horses come to mind. There's no question these are part of what makes Kentucky special, but there's so much more to explore in the Bluegrass State. Whether you're into live music, craft beer, chef-driven cuisine, American history, family fun or exploring the outdoors, there's a Kentucky experience for you. There’s no shortage of exciting things to do in Kentucky. but the pace of life is.... Where business is just right. fast. *Photos courtesy of Kentucky Tourism92 KENTUCKY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GUIDE*Photos courtesy of Kentucky Tourism94 KENTUCKY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GUIDE*Photos courtesy of Kentucky Tourism, Bree H Photography And Visit Lex96 KENTUCKY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GUIDE [ INDEX TO ADVERTISERS ] AEP Kentucky Power Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 https://www.kentuckyPower.com/ EconomicDevelopment Big Rivers Electric Corporation ...................9, 36 https://www.bigrivers.com Bowling Green Area Economic Development Authority, Inc ..........................1 https://www.southcentralky.com Breckinridge County United, Economic Development ............................51 https://breckunited.com Bullitt County Economic Development Authority......61 https://www.gobullittky.com Cincinnati/Northern KY International Airport .........39 https://www.cvgairport.com Commerce Lexington Economic Development.........5 https://locateinlex.com Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives.........IFC https://dataispower.org Elizabethtown-Hardin County Industrial Foundation...............................21 https://eifky.org Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corporation ...........................3 https://edc.owensboro.com Greater Paducah Economic Development Council ...58 https://epaducah.com Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development .......BC https://newkentuckyhome.ky.gov Kentucky Community & Technical College System ....47 https://workforce.kctcs.edu Kentucky Department of Agriculture.............48-49 http://www.kyagr.com/trade LG&E and KU Energy...............................IBC https://lge-ku.com/economic-development Logan Economic Alliance for Development..........85 https://www.loganleads.com Louisville Economic Development Alliance ...........15 https://www.louisvillealliance.org Louisville Water Company...........................53 https://louisvillewater.com Maysville-Mason County CVB .......................11 https://www.visitmaysvilleky.com Murray State University .............................72 https://www.murraystate.edu/engineering Northern Kentucky Tri-County Economic Development Corporation ................37 https://be-nky.com/business South Western Kentucky Economic Development Council...............................41 https://southwesternky.com Tennessee- Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 https://www.tenntom.org Toyota Manufacturing North America ...............45 https://www.tourtoyota.com University of Kentucky Coldstream Research .........77 https://ukcoldstream.com Western Kentucky University ........................71 https://www.wku.edu Advertiser PageAdvertiser PageNext >