A major entertainment construction project is moving forward in the Metro East region of Illinois as Hollywood River Studios begins development of a 110-acre film and television production campus in Wood River.
The facility is planned as a regional production hub with six sound stages and specialized infrastructure designed to accommodate large-scale film and television projects. The development is also expected to generate construction and long-term employment opportunities as Illinois expands its film production industry.
Hollywood River Studios will feature six scalable sound stages designed to support productions of varying sizes. The stages will incorporate specialized acoustics, lighting and infrastructure required for film and television production.
The 110-acre site will be developed with sustainability measures incorporated into the project. The development is part of Illinois' broader effort to expand film and television production beyond the Chicago area and attract projects to other regions of the state.
The project is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs as the campus reaches full development. Individual productions are projected to generate an additional 300 to 500 temporary positions, creating opportunities for local crew members, vendors, contractors and other businesses supporting production activity.
For the construction sector, the development creates demand across site development, building construction, mechanical and electrical systems, specialized production infrastructure and related trades.
Illinois is supporting the expansion of its film industry through tax incentives and programs designed to attract production and studio investment. The state has expanded its Film Production Tax Credit through 2039 and established a Soundstage Capital Grant Program to support studio infrastructure.
Illinois also introduced a sustainability incentive that provides an additional tax credit for productions meeting designated environmental standards. The state has separately expanded incentives for productions filming outside several northeastern Illinois counties, including an additional credit tied to Illinois resident salaries.
Film production expenditures in Illinois reached a reported $703 million in 2025, supporting an estimated 18,000 industry hires. The state says its film tax credit generated $6.81 in economic activity for every dollar spent on the incentive between fiscal 2017 and fiscal 2024.
The Wood River development extends that investment strategy into the Metro East, creating a new production facility outside the state's traditional Chicago-area concentration.
Hollywood River Studios represents a significant new specialized commercial development for southwestern Illinois. The combination of large-scale sound stages, production infrastructure and supporting site development can create opportunities for general contractors, specialty contractors, building suppliers and skilled trades.
For the broader development market, the project also illustrates how state incentives can support investment in specialized facilities while expanding economic activity into regions outside established industry centers.
As construction progresses, the studio campus is positioned to add permanent employment while creating recurring demand for local contractors, vendors, hospitality businesses and other services connected to film and television production.
Source: Office Of Governor JB Pritzker.
