Study: Ohio movie credits pay off in jobs, dollars

CLEVELAND - Ohio's tax lures for moviemakers have led to work for thousands of people, and millions of dollars in economic impact.

A study by the Center for Economic Development at Cleveland State University estimates that each dollar of state tax breaks results in $1.20 in economic impact. The tax credits have cost the state some $30 million so far, the study reports.

It credits the film industry with creating more than 9,000 temporary jobs and more than 1,100 full-time jobs since 2009. Other economic impact comes from movie production needs for contractors, real estate, vehicle rentals, hotels, restaurants and other goods and services.

Meanwhile, multiple media accounts report that some state legislators are pushing efforts to sweeten the tax credit. Ohio is among 38 states with film industry tax credits

Among the hits produced in Ohio was last year's "The Ides of March," a political thriller shot in southwest Ohio starring George Clooney and Ryan Gosling. The upcoming superhero movie "The Avengers" filmed scenes in Cleveland and Wilmington.

Besides economic impact, there are also the intangible benefits -- Miami University didn't get paid for providing locations for "Ides," but got to show off its attractive campus and was acknowledged in film credits. And people in Oxford and downtown Cincinnati had fun watching Clooney, Gosling and others on set and then the many local scenes that showed up in the movie.

"Greater Cleveland abounds with the buzz from the Hollywood blockbuster movies that have borrowed the city in the last few years," the Cleveland State study states.