LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Some residents living in the Siena neighborhood in the South Summerlin area are opposed to a $1.8 billion motion picture studio that may be coming to their backyard.
On Wednesday, the Clark County Zoning Commission gave the green light to move ahead with plans to build the 500,000 sqft. studio at a dirt lot near Flamingo Road and Town Center Drive.
The project called Summerlin Studios is a joint venture between Howard Hughes and Sony Pictures.
Many community members provided public comment both in support and opposition to the project during the zoning meeting on Wednesday.
A majority of those in opposition live in the Siena neighborhood of Summerlin including Grace Likeness, who has lived there for more than 20 years.
"I was there when there was nothing but desert around Siena," said Likeness. "You're putting it right next to a community of people that are looking, when they bought their home, for a more quiet lifestyle. We had our careers already. We did the rat race already."
Likeness gathered more than 130 signatures of Siena residents against the movie studios project.
"We're not against development," said Likeness. "What we're saying is we don't want an industry in the neighborhood."
Clark County commissioner Justin Jones, who represents the district in which the proposed studio will be built, voiced his support for the project but said he will listen to the concerns of residents.
"I'm excited about this project," said Jones. "It is in line with what has always been Summerlin's mission to have business employment opportunities as well as high class residential areas."
Howard Hughes CEO David O'Reilly and Sony Pictures CEO Tony Vinciquerra gave the presentation to commissioners. They promised the project would diversify the economy and bring about 10,000 jobs to Southern Nevada.
"Most high paying union wages that will be working every day inside and out of these movie productions," said O'Reilly. "Summerlin has been ranked one of the best masterplanned communities for decades. That's not going to change with the building of a movie studio. It's only going to make it better.
Vinciquerra said Southern Nevada is an optimal location to build the next "Hollywood 2.0."
"If you produce in New Orleans and Georgia and other jurisdictions, you have to go live there," said Vinciquerra. "In Nevada, actors, producers, directors can go back and forth [to Los Angeles]."
Likeness has reservations about the project and said if the project comes to her backyard, she may move out of the community she's called home for more than two decades.
"If this changes the culture of the neighborhood, I might have to rethink it," said Likeness.
As for the timeline, Channel 13 has learned the next step is to push for a film tax credit program in the next legislative session in 2025.
