Broken Arrow City Council
Meeting of: 07-14-2025
Title:
title
Consideration, discussion, and possible approval of a film incentive rebate in an amount not to exceed $59,000
End
Background:
In an effort to spur economic growth, job creation, and visitor spending, Visit Broken Arrow staff and board members implemented a film incentive program. The incentive program utilizes hotel lodging tax (visitor spending) to rebate a portion of film production and spending in Broken Arrow.
Visit Broken Arrow voted on February, 11, 2025 to provide recommendation to Council for the film incentive.
City Council Meeting voted on February 18, 2025 to approve the film incentive program.
The film incentive program includes the following rebates:
Local Spending Rebate Requirements:
• Minimum budget of $5,000
• Minimum spend equal to 10% of total budget amount in Broken Arrow City Limits (hotels excluded due to separate hotel room incentive, below)
• 25% of shooting days/time must be in Broken Arrow
• Pre-completed/approved Visit Broken Arrow filming permit, if applicable
• Display the Visit Broken Arrow logo in end credits
Hotel Room Rebate:
• $500 for every 12 paid room nights at a City of Broken Arrow hotel
Production Office Rebate:
• 20% rebate on cost of production office space at any Broken Arrow hotel
• 10% rebate applies for cost of any production office space other than a Broken Arrow hotel but within city limits
Applicants must provide receipts and documentation proving they have met the requirements. Qualified productions will then be reimbursed for the eligible spending with hotel/lodging tax dollars. This tax is paid by those staying in Broken Arrow hotels. The program ultimately leverages this tax to encourage more visitors to Broken Arrow.
On June 12, 2025, Horrified, LLC submitted a film incentive application for a production to be filmed in Broken Arrow, and is seeking pre-approval for a film rebate.
Highlights of the application include:
• Feature Film
• $2.3M Budget
• Filming start: 7/29/25
• Projected Wrap Date: 8/21/25
• Proposed shooting days in Broken Arrow: 20
• Estimated BA residents to be hired on the production: 75
Estimated Spending in Broken Arrow
|
Local Spending |
$353,474 |
|
528 Hotel Rooms |
$42,240 |
|
Production Office |
$5,000 |
|
Total Est Spend |
$405,994 |
Total estimated economic impact: $800k-$1M
On July 1, 2025, the Visit Broken Arrow Board reviewed the application from Horrified, LLC and approved recommendation to City Council.
In order to receive the rebate, the organization must submit all receipts and confirm that all guidelines have been met via the post-production summary report. After project completion, a representative from the organization will attend a VBA Board meeting to present the project outcomes and total spend. The rebate will not be processed until the VBA Board gives final approval.
Cost: Not to exceed $59,000
Funding Source: Visit Broken Arrow
Requested By: Makala Barton, Tourism Manager
Approved By: City Manager’s Office
Attachments: Film Incentive Application
Recommendation:
recommend
Approve the rebate request in an amount not to exceed $59,000, pending the receipt of the post-event requirements as outlined in the film incentive guidelines.
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