My 2 Cents: Bringing Hollywood To Oklahoma

When I took my kids to Ponca City last week to tour the Marland Mansion, I built it up by telling them that big time Hollywood producers are in the process of creating a movie about the Oklahoma oil baron and his fabulous wealth and scandalous personal life.

In fact, Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence and Batman Christian Bale are being touted for the leads.

That movie should only be filmed at the Marland Mansion, but people there are worried it won't be because Oklahoma's Film Rebate program expires this summer, and it might be cheaper to shoot it somewhere else.

Edmond Senator Clark Jolley and Representative Todd Thomsen have filed legislation to continue the film rebate program for 10 more years.

I say pass it.

It's a rebate, it gives the movie makers 35 percent of the money they spend on goods in services they buy here back, but industry experts say Oklahoma gets a return of $3 for every dollar Hollywood spends, that's the kind of math I like.

And Senator Jolley told me tonight they're really hoping to land television series in Oklahoma like New Mexico did with "Breaking Bad".

Not to mention the exposure the state gets.

Just this week, Meryl Streep was on Ellen Degeneres' show talking about shooting August Osage County here, and how "shockingly beautiful Oklahoma" is, calling it varied and mysterious.

We have a chance to grow our movie industry, let's not miss it.