Could Atlantic County Become a Film Hub? Rowan Wants South Jersey to Capture More Hollywood Productions

With Netflix building a $1 billion New Jersey studio and the state offering generous film incentives, the Atlantic County assemblywoman says South Jersey should be getting a bigger piece of the action.

ATLANTIC COUNTY, N.J. — New Jersey is experiencing a resurgence in film and television production, with major studios investing billions of dollars and state tax incentives attracting projects that might otherwise be filmed elsewhere.

But state Assemblywoman Maureen Rowan believes South Jersey is missing opportunities to share in that growth.

Rowan, D-Atlantic, says Atlantic County has the scenery, historic buildings, casino properties, beaches and communities that filmmakers need.

Now, she wants more municipalities to position themselves to attract productions — and the jobs and economic activity that come with them.

"Why aren't they coming to South Jersey?" Rowan asked during an appearance Wednesday, Oct. 7, on Off The Press with Scott Cronick on News Talk 1400 and 92.3 WOND.

The question came after Rowan attended an Atlantic County Economic Alliance program designed to help municipalities become officially certified as Film Ready communities.

The designation, administered by the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission, helps communities prepare to accommodate film and television productions while making themselves more attractive to location scouts and production companies.

Rowan believes expanding participation throughout Atlantic County could create another avenue for economic development.

"I think it's great for economic development, workforce development, diversifying the economy, which we are in desperate need of doing in Atlantic County," Rowan said.

Atlantic City Is Already Film Ready

Atlantic City has a head start.

In August 2025, the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission announced that Atlantic City was among 19 municipalities and two counties newly designated as Film Ready communities.

The certification means the city completed a state program designed to help local governments understand the needs of production companies, establish procedures and prepare to host filming.

But Rowan believes the effort should extend well beyond Atlantic City.

On Wednesday, she participated in a Film Ready informational session hosted by the Atlantic County Economic Alliance at the National Aerospace Research & Technology Park in Egg Harbor Township.

The program brought together representatives of the film industry, economic development officials and municipal leaders.

Rowan said the event was intended to help communities understand the certification process and the opportunities available.

"There's a process that the towns or municipalities have to go through to get certified," Rowan said. "But it's not that difficult."

The state's Film Ready program involves training municipal officials, establishing local filming procedures and identifying representatives who can assist production companies.

Certification does not guarantee that a municipality will attract a movie or television production.

However, the designation gives communities greater visibility through the state Film Commission and helps producers navigate local requirements.

Rowan credited Francine Palumbo of the Atlantic County Economic Alliance with helping organize the event.

"The Atlantic County Economic Alliance is also trying to promote it," Rowan said.

She encouraged local officials to explore the program rather than wait for filmmakers to discover their communities on their own.

Netflix's $1 Billion Investment Shows What's at Stake

One of the clearest examples of New Jersey's growing film industry is taking shape about 80 miles north of Atlantic City.

Netflix is developing a massive production campus at the former Fort Monmouth military installation in Monmouth County.

The company plans to invest approximately $1 billion in the project, transforming more than 290 acres into a major East Coast production facility.

When completed, the complex is expected to include 12 soundstages totaling nearly 500,000 square feet, along with additional production facilities and support operations.

In June, Netflix celebrated a construction milestone when crews installed the final structural beams on two of the soundstages.

The company expects the first phase of the complex to be completed in summer 2027, with another phase targeted for fall 2028.

Netflix has said the development will create thousands of construction jobs and establish a permanent production base in New Jersey.

The streaming company has already filmed numerous projects throughout the state.

Rowan said she recently met a Netflix executive and raised the question of why more of that activity isn't coming to South Jersey.

"I happened to meet one of the executives from Netflix, and I inquired why they're not coming to South Jersey," Rowan said.

She did not identify the executive or describe the response during the interview.

But the conversation reinforced her belief that Atlantic County needs to market itself more aggressively.

Rowan sees no reason South Jersey should be excluded from the state's growing film industry simply because the largest studio developments are occurring farther north.

New Jersey Offers Major Financial Incentives

New Jersey has established one of the nation's more substantial film and digital media incentive programs.

Under the state's Film and Digital Media Tax Credit Program, eligible productions can receive tax credits covering 30% to 35% of qualifying expenses, depending on where the work takes place.

Atlantic County falls within the region eligible for the higher 35% rate for qualifying film production expenses.

Additional incentives may be available to productions meeting certain diversity requirements.

The credits are intended to encourage production companies to spend money in New Jersey rather than competing states.

For South Jersey, that could mean expenditures on hotels, restaurants, transportation, construction materials, equipment rentals and other local services.

But attracting that business requires more than offering financial incentives.

Communities must also demonstrate that they can accommodate production schedules, coordinate with public safety agencies, provide suitable locations and minimize disruptions.

That's where Rowan believes the Film Ready program can make a difference.

Atlantic City Has Already Played Hollywood

Although Rowan wants to attract more productions, Atlantic City is hardly unfamiliar with Hollywood.

The resort has appeared in numerous films and television productions over the years.

One of the most prominent recent examples was Army of the Dead, the 2021 zombie action film directed by Zack Snyder and starring Dave Bautista.

The production filmed in Atlantic City in 2019, using the former casino floor at Showboat and other resort locations to recreate portions of Las Vegas.

The production also provided opportunities for local residents to work as background performers.

During Wednesday's interview, Cronick recalled how the filming generated excitement among residents and businesses.

"When it was here, I had the bar at that point, and we had all the crew members coming," Cronick said.

"There was a real good vibe, and everyone was excited about, oh, that movie's being shot down there."

Rowan agreed that film productions can generate activity beyond the immediate production site.

She also pointed to Atlantic City's architectural variety as a selling point.

From casino interiors and historic buildings to the Boardwalk and beaches, the resort offers locations that can represent different settings and time periods.

But Rowan emphasized that the opportunities are not limited to the resort.

Atlantic County's beaches, rural communities, forests, farmland and suburban neighborhoods could also appeal to filmmakers seeking a range of locations.

"This is the perfect place for it, not just Atlantic City, but all over the county," Rowan said.

The Economic Benefits Go Beyond Movie Stars

For Rowan, attracting film productions is primarily an economic development issue.

She said productions can create temporary employment for local residents while generating spending at nearby businesses.

"The benefits of bringing a film here, first, it would create jobs," Rowan said.

"You have people, hopefully local people, doing the jobs."

Those opportunities can include construction workers, electricians, carpenters, drivers, caterers, security personnel, production assistants and background actors.

Film crews also need accommodations, meals, transportation and other services.

"Then you have the ripple-down effects of the workers, the actors, the actresses, whoever else, going to the local businesses," Rowan said.

"It just stirs a lot of excitement, and the productions are an economic driver."

The scale of those benefits depends on the size and duration of a production, how much work is performed locally and whether companies hire area residents and businesses.

A brief location shoot would have a different economic impact from a production that spends several weeks or months in the region.

Still, Rowan believes even smaller projects could help diversify Atlantic County's economy.

The region has long depended heavily on tourism, hospitality and gaming.

Expanding into film and television production could introduce additional employment opportunities while supporting existing businesses.

"It's another way to diversify the economy, bring some economic activity to Atlantic County," Rowan said.

Local Businesses Can Participate, Too

Rowan also emphasized that municipalities are not the only ones that can benefit.

Businesses and property owners may be able to make their buildings available as filming locations.

That could include restaurants, stores, warehouses, offices, historic properties and other locations that meet a production company's needs.

"And there's also an interesting thing that if you have a business, you can just offer your business for filming without the municipality being Film Ready," Rowan said.

Property owners can register potential filming locations through the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission.

Productions may negotiate location fees with property owners, although compensation depends on the project and agreement.

Rowan encouraged interested businesses to explore the opportunity.

"Anybody who's interested should go on the website," she said.

The state Film Commission maintains resources for location owners, production companies and municipalities interested in participating in the industry.

Turning Interest Into Actual Productions

The challenge now is converting Atlantic County's potential into actual film and television projects.

Rowan said the New Jersey Film Commission can help communities promote themselves, but local officials also need to be proactive.

She believes the Atlantic County Economic Alliance can serve as a resource for municipalities seeking certification and businesses interested in participating.

Rowan also noted that the annual New Jersey State League of Municipalities conference offers opportunities for officials to learn more about the Film Ready program.

The next step, she suggested, is making sure filmmakers know what South Jersey has to offer.

That could involve developing a stronger inventory of filming locations, encouraging more municipalities to complete certification and building relationships with production companies.

For Rowan, the effort fits into a broader goal of bringing new industries and economic opportunities to Atlantic County.

She believes the region has spent too much time depending on its traditional economic strengths while overlooking opportunities in emerging industries.

Film and television production, she said, could become one more way to broaden the local economy.

"It's great for economic development, workforce development, diversifying the economy," Rowan said.

And with major studios already investing heavily elsewhere in New Jersey, she believes Atlantic County should be making its case now.

Assemblywoman Maureen Rowan appeared Wednesday, Oct. 7, on Off The Press with Scott Cronick, heard weekdays from 4 to 6 p.m. on News Talk 1400 and 92.3 WOND.