Game shows among TV programs proposed for Las Vegas

Game shows and other audience-based television programs would be right at home in Las Vegas, backers of an organization attempting to lure Hollywood productions here say.

"Vancouver has its niche with the 'movie of the week,' " said Mimosa Jones, president of the Entertainment Development Corporation of Las Vegas. "Our niche can be game shows."

The idea of the development of Las Vegas as a game show mecca emerged in a meeting led by Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman and EDC leaders last week. Jones elaborated on those plans in an appearance Tuesday on "POV Vegas," a Las Vegas Sun television news discussion program.

Vancouver and Toronto have lured scores of Hollywood productions north of the border. Producers of the movie-of-the-week genre have been attracted by Canada's favorable currency exchange rate and generous financial incentives.

Hollywood has been attempting to stem the flow of "runaway productions" out of the country. Meanwhile, Las Vegas and other U.S. cities have been working to keep American filmmakers off foreign soil while competing with each other for a cut of the $16 billion industry.

Last week's summit of political leaders, union representatives, producers, directors, filmmakers and film studio executives gave the EDC and Las Vegas the opportunity to strategize on how to get a bigger piece of the action.

The meeting was closed to the public to ensure candor among participants. But Jones said afterward that it was the most productive session the EDC has ever had.

"In a word, it was incredible," she said in her "POV Vegas" appearance.

What makes Las Vegas an appealing location for audience-based television is that it already draws more than 30 million tourists a year. Those visitors would provide a steady stream of audiences, which usually are admitted free for a series of tapings in Hollywood.

Jones said game shows face an uphill battle attracting crowds in Los Angeles, probably because the city and its various attractions are scattered over a large area. If several game-show productions were to set up in resort hotels, they would be consolidated within about 4 linear miles along the Strip.

"Visitors to Las Vegas represent a good cross-section of America," Jones said. "They have time on their hands and a show could add something extra to their Las Vegas experience. Maybe a property could offer a free pull on a slot machine if someone goes to watch the show, there are lots of potential tie-ins."

Game shows would attract attention and crowds to the casinos, Jones said. On-location tapings also provide an inexpensive advertising vehicle for properties.

Mills Lane, a former Nevada judge who now holds court on television in an adjudication show that bears his name, tapes his program in New York. But he said he is working with producers to shift the tapings to Las Vegas to take advantage of curious crowds who may want to spend some of their leisure time watching the creation of a television show.

Persons attending the EDC summit also discussed a proposal Jones floated last month -- developing a $1 million fund to provide incentives for independent filmmakers to make their movies in Southern Nevada.

Jones has proposed developing a public-private partnership, using public economic development funds to match private donations. She suggested starting off offering 10 $100,000 grants to filmmakers and requiring them to return 1 or 2 percent of the profits to the fund.

Goodman, an enthusiastic spokesman for EDC's proposals in light of his own turn at acting, said developing an alternative film capital makes sense for the "entertainment capital of the world."

The film industry is non-polluting, uses little water and pays significantly above minimum wage, said Goodman, who portrayed himself opposite Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci in the film "Casino."

Goodman appointed representatives from the EDC summit to continue working to develop detailed plans.

The committee, scheduled to meet in December, includes Noam Schwartz, a Las Vegas developer; Charlie Geocaris of the Nevada Film Office; Les Agar, business representative of the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stagehand Employees; Mike Majewski, City of Las Vegas economic development director; David Zelon, senior vice president of production administration for Mandalay Entertainment in Los Angeles; Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt; Danny Greenspun, chairman of EDC's board of directors; and Beth Walker, a financial consultant with Financial Strategies, Las Vegas.

Walker presided over the EDC summit, which was attended by about 30 people.

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