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The Woodlands wants to go Hollywood.

The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau has plans to promote the community to the Texas Film Commission as a prime location for films, television and commercials.  In hopes of becoming the next movie and cinema hot spot, The Woodlands will provide an inventory of its diverse shooting locations, including parks, shopping centers and suburban neighborhoods.

According to Julie DeGuerre,  event manager for The Woodlands Township “It’s a really neat opportunity for The Woodlands to get involved in a different type of business.” The new initiative is to help The Woodlands to step out of the shadow of Houston and to market the diversity of the master planned community.  Many outside the community believe that The Woodlands is still a rural setting and do not realize all the community has to offer. “It’s another marketing opportunity,” said Karen Hoylman, a member of the board of The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau as well as president of South Montgomery County The Woodlands Chamber of Commerce. “They haven’t seen Market Street. It should be called Hollywoodlands.”

The Woodlands has been the site of several local productions, including “The Bracelet of Bourdeaux” and well as remote locations for Great Day Houston on KHOU (Channel 11). But The Woodlands hopes to attract a broader audience among filmmakers. DeGuerre recently attended a session offered by the Texas Leadership Institute and said she believes it wouldn’t take much work to get The Woodlands on the map. She plans to put together a photo location package to send to the Texas Film Commission that could be shared with film agents. DeGuerre said some cities in Texas have capitalized on being film-friendly and its has lead to significant economic development. For example, Smithville was the main shooting location for the film “Hope Floats” with Sandra Bullock and as a result of shooting, sales taxes increased 17 percent there, leading to $800,000 in revenues directly tied to the film. A second film, “Tree of Life” starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, also plans to shoot in Smithville.

Nick Wolda, president of The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau, said films can make the community an ongoing tourist destination. Wolda said people continue to visit Savannah, Georgia to see the bench where Tom Hanks sat in “Forrest Gump”, and many go to Seaside, Fla. where Jim Carey filmed “The Truman Show.”   “It’s more of an education effort with the film industry,” said Nelda Luce Blair, chairwoman of The Woodlands Convention & Visitor’s Bureau as well as The Woodlands Township. “It is just another way to bring business to The Woodlands. We want to emphasize what we have to offer. We want to let people know about Market Street, our statues and our suburban look and feel.