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Hillsborough taxpayers to foot bill for a Home Depot commercial

And a Discovery Communications show too
 
Published Dec. 5, 2017

TAMPA —A California-based production company was awarded $12,754 by a Hillsborough County panel to film a commercial here for Home Depot, the  home improvement chain worth $176 billion.

Wild Plum, LLC applied for the incentive through the Hillsborough County Film Commission, a taxpayer funded agency, and has agreed to shoot the Home Depot commercial in Hillsborough County. According to the commission, production of the commercial will take 30 days, require 11 local crew hires and lead to 385 hotel room nights, and will lead to spending of $128,000 in local production costs.

Wild Plum has produced commercials for Virgin Mobile, Walmart, Chase and Paypal, according to its website.

Hillsborough County commissioners will vote tomorrow on whether to approve the award. But don't expect any debate on it; the item is listed on the county's consent agenda, a time in the meeting when commissioners often approve dozens of items and move millions of dollars without first discussing it.

During that time, commissioners are also expected to vote on another film award: $102,128 to Discovery Communications, LLC.

This one will subsidize the production of 14 episodes of "Street Science," a TV show on the Science Channel.  A similar award was provided to Discovery Communications last year for the show.

The film commission projects Discovery Communications will need 42 production days, 260 local crew hires and 605 hotel nights.

Discovery Communications has a market value of $11 billion, according to Fortune 500.