Nevada Unveils Blueprint as'Content Production Hub' at K-Entertainment Tech Forum

[CES 2026 Special Report | January 7, 2026]

Film Nevada presents virtual production infrastructure and up to 25% tax incentives at 'Next K-Wave Entertainment & Tech Forum'

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The State of Nevada has officially positioned itself as a global production partner for K-Content. Film Nevada, a division of the Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED), unveiled its film and media production infrastructure and incentive programs at the 'Next K-Wave Entertainment & Tech Forum' held during CES 2026, signaling its commitment to collaborate with the Korean content industry.

Organized by K-Entertainment Tech Hub (www.kentertechhub.com), the forum brought together entertainment technology stakeholders from Korea and the United States under the theme of K-Content and cutting-edge technology convergence. Film Nevada's presentation was recognized as clearly positioning Nevada as a 'future-ready production base' where Technology and Entertainment converge, going beyond simple location promotion.

Global Production Incentive Landscape: Intensifying Competition

Film Nevada's announcement comes at a time when global competition for production incentives has never been more intense. According to the latest data from Olsberg SPI (as of October 2025), the number of film and TV production incentive programs at the national, state, and regional levels worldwide has grown from 86 in 2017 to 107 in 2025.

▼ Total Film & TV Production Incentives by Region (2017-2025)

Source: Olsberg SPI (as of October 2025). Includes country, state, and province-level incentives.

Currently, 37 U.S. states plus D.C. operate production incentives, with abundant filming options across Canada and most European countries. Australia, Colombia, Germany, and Portugal notably run multiple incentive programs, while California and Ontario offer various pathways to tax credits. Competition is accelerating in emerging markets, with Ecuador establishing a 37% tax credit.

However, even amid this global competition, the U.S. production landscape stands at a crossroads. The January 2025 LA wildfires have hampered efforts to bring Hollywood projects back, accelerating studios' and production companies' moves to other regions. While Georgia—once home to most Marvel films—sees declining activity, New Mexico, with its Netflix soundstages, is emerging as a new key hub. A24's 'Eddington' being filmed in New Mexico is a prime example.

Also noteworthy is President Trump's proposal for a 100% tariff on Hollywood projects filmed outside the U.S. While the specific implementation remains unclear, this policy direction is driving increased interest in domestic U.S. production.

Nevada's Competitive Advantages: Why Nevada Now

Amid these changes in the global and U.S. production landscape, Nevada presents unique competitive advantages. Film Nevada emphasizes that Nevada is not simply 'another state with incentives,' but a strategically optimized partner for Korean content companies.

① Proximity to LA + Independent Ecosystem

Las Vegas is just a 4-hour drive from LA, offering excellent access to Hollywood talent and equipment while maintaining its own production infrastructure and incentive system. For studios looking to diversify production bases post-LA wildfires, Nevada is one of the most practical alternatives.

② Structure Favorable for Mid-Size Projects

The annual $10 million incentive budget and $500,000 minimum spend requirement favor mid-size projects over large blockbusters. Unlike markets like Georgia or New York where you need multi-million dollar budgets to compete, Korean mid-tier production companies can secure incentives in Nevada.

③ Virtual Production Infrastructure Concentration

With Georgia's declining activity, the importance of production hubs equipped with virtual production technology is growing. Nevada has made proactive investments in this area.

▲ Film Nevada's Traditional & Virtual Studios - LMG Las Vegas, MG Studios, HyperX Arena, Creative Technology, and Worre Studios

▼ Nevada's Major Virtual Production Facilities

These facilities offer technology collaboration opportunities for Korean VFX companies and virtual human production studios. Korean companies' strengths in LED wall-based real-time rendering and Unreal Engine capabilities can create synergies with local studios.

Location Diversity: Turning Imagination into Reality

Another strength of Nevada is the diversity of locations available within a single state. Nevada is recognized as 'one of the most diverse filming locations in the world,' having provided backdrops for thousands of film and TV productions.

▼ Nevada Location Categories

The 'Doubles' category particularly caught the attention of K-Content industry professionals. Nevada's desert terrain has been extensively used as a double location for the Middle East and Other Planets. With the growing share of sci-fi and fantasy genres in the Korean content market, this offers strategic value as a cost-effective alternative for productions where actual location filming is difficult.

Tax Credit Incentives: Up to 25% Benefits Structure

The Film Tax Incentive Program operated by Film Nevada provides transferable tax credits to productions filming in Nevada. This allows companies without tax liability to monetize their credits, resulting in substantial production cost savings.

▼ Nevada Film Tax Incentive Program Structure

The Nevada Resident Bonus applies when more than 50% of Below-The-Line (BTL: staff, crew) workdays are filled by Nevada residents, excluding extras. The Rural County Bonus applies when filming in most Nevada counties outside Clark County (Las Vegas) and Washoe County (Reno).

Incentive Production Examples: Proven Track Record

Film Nevada also showcased major productions that have utilized the incentive program. Numerous major Hollywood projects have already chosen Nevada and successfully completed production.

Feature Films: Flight Risk, Sympathy for the Devil, The Mustang, Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, Back on the Strip

TV Series: Netflix's Queer Eye (Las Vegas Season), Fox's Hell's Kitchen, Apple TV+'s The Studio, CBS's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Discovery's BattleBots, CBS's Love Island USA, Flip the Strip

Film Nevada Organization & Mission

A division of the Governor's Office of Economic Development, Film Nevada markets the state as a production destination for film, television, commercials and other forms of audiovisual media, encouraging productions to spend their budgets on local services and hire local crew members.

Director Kim Spurgeon stated at the forum: "Nevada has a strong production directory connecting crews and services." She added, "We hope this forum will be an opportunity for Korea's creative content to meet Nevada's tech infrastructure and create greater synergy in the global market."

Strategic Implications for K-Content Companies

Film Nevada's presentation provides a concrete roadmap for Korean content companies' U.S. production expansion.

1. Use as a 'Learning Stage' for U.S. Entry: The $500,000 minimum requirement and lower competition intensity make it ideal for mid-tier production companies attempting U.S. local production for the first time
2. Virtual Production Technology Partnerships: Korean VFX/virtual production companies can build partnerships with Nevada studios, establishing a foothold in the North American market
3. Leverage Las Vegas IP: Develop original content set in Las Vegas with global brand value, utilizing both incentives and location support
4. Korea-Nevada Co-Production Structure: Partner with local production service companies to maximize the resident bonus (+5%), utilizing the K-Nevada Gateway program

Outlook: K-Entertainment Tech and Nevada Synergy

Film Nevada's presentation at the CES 2026 'Next K-Wave Entertainment & Tech Forum' went beyond simple location marketing to explore strategic collaboration possibilities between the K-Content industry and U.S. production infrastructure. As global incentive competition intensifies and U.S. production hubs reorganize post-LA wildfires, Nevada has presented its unique positioning as a 'niche hub.'

For Korean content companies, Nevada holds strategic value as both a 'learning stage' and a 'technology collaboration partner' for U.S. local production. As cooperation between the Korean entertainment and tech industries and Nevada expands, this forum marks the starting point for a concrete roadmap of bilateral collaboration.

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Film Nevada Contact Information

Website: film.nv.gov

Email: info@film.nv.gov

Phone: 1-702-486-2711

Address: 1 State of Nevada Way, 4th Floor, Las Vegas, NV 89119

This report is based on the Film Nevada presentation at the CES 2026 'Next K-Wave Entertainment & Tech Forum' and Olsberg SPI global incentive analysis data.