Imagine the entertainment and media industry as the "new steel" fueling
Pittsburgh's economy in the 21st century. Pittsburgh has long been "Hollywood's Best kept
secret," with its own impressive entertainment history, from the first movie theatre and
public television station, to August Wilson and Fred Rogers. Southwestern Pennsylvania continues to
produce the talent and technology that drives the entertainment industry.
In recent years though, Pittsburgh has not reaped the economic benefits the entertainment industry
can spawn, as people and projects have been forced to go elsewhere for commercial development.
Fortunately, Pittsburgh has the opportunity to reposition itself as a key player in the
$1.5 trillion dollar entertainment and media industry due to:
Technological advances in producing and distributing visual media.
One of the major proponents of growing the region's entertainment sector is Steeltown advisor, and
New Castle native, John Dellaverson. Dellaverson, whose wide-ranging experience in the entertainment
industry includes work as a producer for Lionsgate Entertainment, and their subsidiary Cinegate,
helping to establish regional entertainment sectors in Canada, Italy, and most recently in New
Mexico and Pennsylvania. In his 2007 meeting with Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, Dellaverson
cited the positive impact that film tax legislation was having in New Mexico, a state that went from
less than $5 million worth of film production in 2003 to more than $450 million in 2007. To read a
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article on John's meeting with Governor Rendell,
please click here.
Dellaverson, who was interviewed about his desire to bring more film production to Pennsylvania
during an interview with OnQ magazine, urged Rendell to approve the tax incentive legislation
because in his words, "You want to be the other side of the coin, you want people to say, 'Is there
any way we can shoot this in Pennsylvania? It's great, we have a credit, there's a great work ethic
there, we have a great time, we get our permits as soon as possible.' That's what you want. You want
to be in the business, not the wish business."
One of the major proponents of growing the region's entertainment sector is Steeltown advisor, and
New Castle native, John Dellaverson. Dellaverson, whose wide-ranging experience in the entertainment
industry includes work as a producer for Lionsgate Entertainment, and their subsidiary Cinegate,
helping to establish regional entertainment sectors in Canada, Italy, and most recently in New
Mexico and Pennsylvania. In his 2007 meeting with Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, Dellaverson
cited the positive impact that film tax legislation was having in New Mexico, a state that went from
less than $5 million worth of film production in 2003 to more than $450 million in 2007. To read a
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article on John's meeting with Governor Rendell,
