Mark Wahlberg lobbies to bring 'Hollywood 2.0' to Las Vegas

One of the biggest stars in Hollywood now wants to help build "Hollywood 2.0" somewhere other than southern California.

Last Wednesday, Mark Wahlberg lobbied legislators in Carson City, Nevada, to pass a bill that would encourage the television and film industry to establish studios in Las Vegas. The bill would increase tax credits for film production from $10 million to $190 million over 20 years. Wahlberg argued that an enhanced film and entertainment industry in Las Vegas would help diversify the Nevadan economy by making it less reliant on the gaming industry, which took a considerable hit during the government shutdown of 2020, as well as create "thousands and thousands of new jobs," mostly for locals.

"I think there’s so much more opportunity to be created here," Wahlberg told CNBC. "There’s so much growth and so much potential. It’s a wonderful opportunity for everybody to prosper."

Representatives from Sony Pictures and Howard Hughes Corp. also appeared before the lawmakers to push for the bill, which would help facilitate the construction of two new production studios in Las Vegas: one in the Summerlin area and the other at the Las Vegas Media Campus located at the technology park of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

"Our employees and the future of Summerlin are inextricably linked with the Nevada economy," said David O’Reilly, the CEO of Howard Hughes. "If we can strengthen, diversify and grow by bringing the film industry here, that will benefit all of us."

Despite enthusiasm from Wahlberg, O'Reilly, and others, many wonder whether the proposed tax credits are a smart gamble for Nevada. The Nevada Policy Research Institute, a nonprofit that advocates for limited government, claimed that such "tax credits often struggle to pay for themselves, let alone generate a surplus."

Battle Born Progress, a far-left organization, is also skeptical about the bill. "We offer these abatements and credits at the expense of our communities," said Annette Magnus, a BBP leader. "If you want to bring your business here, then please do. Please do it on your own and at your own expense and stop using our communities to fund it."

Wahlberg, who turned 52 on Monday, claimed he has already done just that. The Boston native and Californian expat recently moved his family to Las Vegas to give his "kids a better life" — and he brought some of his industry colleagues with him. "When I moved here, I brought probably like 15 or 20 people that work with me also moving here," Wahlberg said, claiming that affordable housing and community-minded neighborhoods in Las Vegas were major draws for many film crew members who were struggling to make ends meet in metro-Los Angeles.

"I’ve moved my last film here," he added. "I’m shooting another film here coming up in the summertime. ... I haven't found anything that I dislike about it."

Wahlberg has vowed to invest his own "hard-earned dollars" to help create what he has called "Hollywood 2.0" in his new hometown of Las Vegas, and he has already established a good relationship with new Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo (R). Wahlberg said that the sheriff-turned-governor "is really looking for opportunities to create jobs outside of gaming." However, Wahlberg is still not sure whether the state's legislators will approve the bill. "It's gotta really make sense for them," he admitted. "... And we have to prove the model."

Wahlberg, who first burst onto the entertainment scene in the early 1990s as the lead singer of Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, has spent nearly three decades making films. Some of his biggest hits include "Fear," "Boogie Nights," "The Departed," "Lone Survivor," and "Invincible." His latest film, "Father Stu," pays homage to his Catholic faith.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!