MEMPHIS, TN (WMC) - The pressure is on now that NBC Universal has released the first trailer for the new show “Bluff City Law”.
NBC Universal has asked for $10 million in incentives for them to set up production and film “Bluff City Law” here in Memphis with a commitment to spend approximately $55 million in return.
That money will have to come from the state with a fast approaching deadline.
Producers filmed the pilot in the Bluff City earlier this year, and now they’re deciding where to set up shop permanently.
“If a movie or a mini series or a documentary is about Memphis, it should be in Memphis,” Shelby County Commission Chairman Van Turner said.
Monday the Shelby County Commission unanimously passed a resolution requesting Gov. Bill Lee provide the $10 million from his discretionary budget.
“I impress upon the governor that this is something that is important to Memphis,” Turner said.
“It needs to be shot here. It’s not enough that it’s set in Memphis, we need that authenticity and so does the show. We need the jobs, we need the tourism,” Linn Sitler of the Memphis/Shelby County Film & Television Commission said.
Sitler says approving the incentives package quickly is critical, because the window is closing fast.
“The state has to move fast. Really fast. Because the they’re making that decision this week or next,” she said.
Sitler says the opportunity is too good for Memphis to pass up.
“This is the best opportunity to come to Memphis and Shelby County in all the decades that I’ve been in this job,” Sitler said.
Sitler is asking for the public’s help to push the governor to find the money in his discretionary budget by writing emails about how important this show is the city of Memphis.
State leader emails;
Governor Bill Lee - bill.lee@tn.gov
Deputy Governor Lang Wiseman - lang.wiseman@tn.gov
Commissioner Stuart McWhorter - stuart.mcworter@tn.gov
Commissioner Bob Rolfe - bob.rolfe@tn.gov
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