Tennessee Volunteers for Video Game Service
Video games are big business these days and Tennessee hopes to compete for a slice of the game development pie.
As reported by the Knoxville News Sentinel, Governor Phil Bredesen (left) and lawmakers commissioned a study which outlines incentives to lure film and television production companies to the state, along with video game developers.
This is one lesson Tennessee learned the hard way, losing out on eight different movie projects since 2003 due to a lack of financial incentives. The net economic loss to the state from failing to attract those film production companies is estimated at $138 million.
It is expected that legislation designed to provide tax credits and other incentives will be considered during the 2006 legislative session.
David Bennett, executive director of the Tennessee Film, Entertainment and Music Commission, told the newspaper that luring video game developers to relocate to Tennessee would attract additional technology companies and animators, which would in turn provide opportunities for a special-effects industry.