City Waives Filming Fees At 4 Airports

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The Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners last week approved the waiver of daily film permit fees at Los Angeles International Airport and the three other airports the city owns.


The action to waive permit fees at LAX, Ontario International Airport, Palmdale Regional Airport and Van Nuys Airport follows L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s pledge last year to eliminate filming fees on city properties.


In his budget proposal released last week, Villaraigosa requested that almost every city department waive film permit fees; Los Angeles World Airports is one of the first agencies to do so.


According to Sharon Delugach, a policy analyst with Villaraigosa’s office, the city brings in about $2 million a year in fees from filming at city facilities.


“Waiving these fees is a step that will save the film industry some money and also shows our good faith intentions,” Delugach said.


In making his request, Villaraigosa exempted the Los Angeles Convention Center and the Recreation and Parks Department, both of which receive substantial general fund subsidies; cutting film revenues at these departments would only serve to increase the subsidies.


In addition, the L.A. City Council, at the request of Councilwoman Wendy Greuel, is looking into other incentives the city could grant to film and television productions that shoot within city limits.


Last Monday’s airport board action rescinds the $50 daily charge for filming with a cast, crew and extras of less than five people, as well as the $100 daily charge for filming with a cast, crew and extras of more than five people.


The four airports owned and operated by Los Angeles World Airports have long been popular filming sites for the film industry, including feature films like “Rush Hour 2” and “Collateral,” and the hit television series “The West Wing.”


Just two years ago, the “LAX” television series starring Heather Locklear as the LAX runway chief aired briefly on NBC.

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Howard Fine
Howard Fine is a 23-year veteran of the Los Angeles Business Journal. He covers stories pertaining to healthcare, biomedicine, energy, engineering, construction, and infrastructure. He has won several awards, including Best Body of Work for a single reporter from the Alliance of Area Business Publishers and Distinguished Journalist of the Year from the Society of Professional Journalists.

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