LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) announced Tuesday its plans to commit more than $8 billion to partner with UNLV to lease and operate Nevada Studios, but only on one condition.
The partnership between the two and Birtcher Development is contingent on the passing of a film tax credit incentive bill initially introduced in 2023, according to a release from WBD.
The proposal, which aims to “establish film and TV studio infrastructure and workforce development programs” in Nevada, is expected to be reintroduced at the next regular session of the Nevada State Legislature in February 2025.
“When talking with citizens we hear repeatedly that we need to further diversify our southern Nevada economy and at the same time commit the resources to develop our workforce,” State Senator Roberta Lange said.
Lange added that having a partner with the depth of Warner Bros. will be a “key difference” to the proposal and will help meet those two priorities.
Nevada Studios, which will be renamed “Warner Bros. Studios Nevada,” will be located at UNLV’s Harry Reid Research & Technology Park in Las Vegas. It will be the primary studio on the proposed 34-acre campus.
“Warner Bros. Discovery is one of the largest producers of scripted and unscripted film and television content in the world spanning general entertainment, animation, lifestyle and nonfiction,” Chief Operating Officer of Warner Bros. Studios Simon Robinson said. “Studios Nevada represents a great opportunity to further expand our facilities to accommodate these productions and more in the future.”
“We are fully committed and excited about the potential of a long-term partnership and presence in Nevada and are confident it will be a win/win for the State of Nevada, the Las Vegas community and WBD as we look ahead to our next 100 years of exceptional storytelling,” Robinson added.
According to the release, the studio will “feature full-service film and television studios and other facilities designed to capitalize on emerging technologies related to WBD’s content creation.”
Part of the planned partnership will be the Nevada Media and Technology Lab, an immersive learning facility that will provide space and opportunities for the UNLV film department and other departments at the university.
“The partnership with WBD will allow space to support vocational training, internship experiences, and research and workforce development opportunities for both K-12 and higher education partners throughout Nevada,” the release stated.
“This is a big moment for UNLV and the State of Nevada,” UNLV President Keith Whitfield said. “Together, [UNLV and Warner Bros.] can help develop the next generation of filmmakers and storytellers, while reaching new heights in training a young workforce, engaging students of all ages in content creation, and enabling UNLV to become synonymous with other leading film schools across the nation.”
This is the second movie studio hoping to be built in Las Vegas. In March, the Clark County Zoning Commission voted unanimously to support plans for a motion picture studio to be built on 30 acres in Summerlin.