Longevity of ABC’s Nashville Revives Incentive Talk

Now that ABC’s Nashville has been picked up for a full season, producers are building their case for more government incentives to shoot on location.

The state has already extended $7.5 million to the show by reimbursing expenses. Metro Government has yet to offer tax breaks or cash grants. Mayor Karl Dean says he’s happy to talk about it.

“’Nashville’ – the show – you can’t buy that, you can’t get that for our city. I mean, we’re a city that is getting a lot of attention nationally, and ‘Nashville’ is a big part of it. I’m not commenting either way if we’re going to be a part of any sort of economic incentives. I’m just saying it is a big plus and a positive for Nashville.”

This week, according to the Nashville Business Journal, producer Loucas George said he would likely wait until the conclusion of the first season to approach economic development officials for more help. George says it’s more costly to shoot in Nashville, given a lack of personnel and equipment needed by big-budget TV shows.