Film, tourism groups court Virginia legislators

RICHMOND

With movie posters, popcorn and coffee, representatives of the state’s film, tourism and hospitality industries this morning courted Virginia’s legislators, as well as any under-caffeinated passersby.

The industries’ annual lobby day seeks to inform legislators and the public about the economic contributions they make to the state, said Rita McClenny, director of the Virginia Film Office.

This year, they’re supporting proposals in the governor’s budget to provide $575,000 for tourism marketing grants, which help localities promote local attractions, and $500,000 for the Motion Picture Opportunity Fund, which helps bring film projects to Virginia, McClenny said.

There are nine projects seeking to film in Virginia that won’t come if that money isn’t there, said Diane BéChamps, vice president of marketing for the Virginia Tourism Corp. They include a remake of “Dirty Dancing,” which was originally filmed here, McClenny said.

Blockbusters such as “Cold Mountain,” "National Treasure" and “Mission: Impossible III” filmed scenes in Virginia, the latter on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel in Virginia Beach, McClenny said.

Most recently, Steven Spielberg selected Richmond and several other Virginia locations to shoot scenes for “Lincoln.” The state provided $3.5 million in incentive funding for the project, which spent $35 million in Virginia, generated $3.2 million in tax revenue and created 400 jobs here, according to the film office.