WRCBtv.com | Chattanooga News, Weather & SportsCommissioner: Film brings local revenue, exposure
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Film crews set up at a home in Walker County, GA.
Actor Robert Pattinson on the set of Water for Elephants in Walker County, GA.CHICKAMAUGA, GA (WRCB) - Besides the near hysteria Robert Pattinson's movie has brought to the area, any time a major picture comes to town it means a boost to the local economy.
"When I went to lunch there were people backed up red light after red light," says Lafayette resident, Lekeisha Ware. "We don't usually get that traffic in Lafayette."
Besides excitement and all the other hoopla that comes along with a major movie coming to town there are other benefits too.
"They've been scouting around Walker County and the surrounding area for sites to film for a good little while here," says Walker County Commissioner, Bebe Heiskell.
Heiskell remembers when Hollywood descended upon Walker County before.
"We did have a film shoot in Rock Springs," she says. "They used quite a number of county employees as extras."
From that experience Heiskell says that Water for Elephants will bring the county a pretty penny in sales tax revenue.
"You don't get any tax incentives for this, but it puts about $100,000 each day that they film into our economy," the commissioner says.
Heiskell also says it's not just about money, because when big names like Robert Pattinson come to town more than anything it means exposure.
"It calls attention to Walker County and its beauty," she says. "It might increase our ability to attract tourism."
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