Las Vegas Movie Studio Bill Dies in Nevada Senate

A proposal to bring two Hollywood studios to Las Vegas collapsed in the Nevada Senate on Wednesday night, ending months of debate over one of the largest tax incentive packages in state history. Assembly Bill 5 received 8 votes in favor and 10 against.

The measure, also known as the Nevada Studio Infrastructure Jobs and Workforce Training Act, would have massively expanded Nevada’s film tax credits from $10 million per year to $120 million. It proposed $95 million per year in infrastructure credits and $25 million for productions, amounting to $1.65 billion in transferable credits over 15 years.

The expanded credits would have enticed Warner Bros. Discovery and  Sony Pictures Entertainment to build Summerlin Studios in Las Vegas — in partnership with the Howard Hughes Corporation, which owns the land near Town Center Drive and Flamingo Road where the complex was planned.

Measure of Discord

The bill divided lawmakers throughout 2025. Supporters said the studios would create investment of at least $1.8 billion in construction and $300 million annually in production before qualifying for the infrastructure credits, and would create thousands of construction and permanent jobs.

Beyond credits, the bill would also have created a special entertainment district around the studio site and directed certain revenues to Clark County pre-K programs.

However, the opposition dominated the debate with their concerns about long-term fiscal risks.

“The bill we have before us is not a good deal for Nevada,” Assemblymember Jill Dickman, R-Washoe, said during floor debate on Sunday. “It asks taxpayers to shoulder enormous long-term costs, while offering little more than promises, projections and glossy marketing in return.”

AB5 first stalled this summer, when the Senate failed to act, killing it for the regular session. However, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo reconvened the legislature for a special session on November 13.

After days of procedural tussles, the Assembly approved AB5 on Sunday, November 16, by a narrow 22–20 margin, and later that evening a Senate committee advanced the bill 6–2 to the Senate floor.

With its Senate defeat, the proposal to build a major film production hub in Las Vegas is off the table, leaving Nevada’s existing $10 million annual film credit program unchanged.