News - November 9, 2025 - by Ray Hagar

Gov. Joe Lombardo is expected to soon call for a special session of the Nevada Legislature and his proclamation to get the process moving could come as soon as Thursday.

Lombardo, however, has yet to announce the agenda. Some have speculated it could include revisiting a bill from the 2025 regular legislative session to approve up to $95 million in transferable tax credits for the construction of a movie-studio complex for Sony Pictures Entertainment/Warner Bros./Discovery in the Summerlin area.

Yet longtime conservative political consultant, Sig Rogich, said on Nevada Newsmakers that it would be a mistake for Lombardo to include the movie-studio issue if he calls for a special session.

"I think it's a mess," Rogich told host Sam Shad. "I don't think it's good for our state. I call it a big boondoggle."

Democratic Assembly members Sandra Jauregui and Daniele Monroe-Moreno were the sponsors of the bill for the Summerlin Studios project during the 2025 regular session. The bill passed the Assembly but then stalled in the state Senate.

Democrats touted the Summerlin Studios bill as a job producer. However, Rogich said most of the jobs created would come during the construction of the studio and end when the studio was completed.

"It is not a long-term job creator," Rogich said. "It's a short-term deal while they build the studios. And then after that, they're going to bring in the experts to film."

Once built, the studio could shun the local workforce, Rogich said.

"They're not going to hire Nevadans," he said. "Directors and producers are going to hire people that they've worked with in the industry. You know, set designers and film editors and all that goes into the movie industry."

Rogich -- president of Rogich Communications, founder of R&R Partners and former U.S. ambassador to Iceland -- was also critical of the proposal to give $95 million in transferable tax credits to Sony Pictures Entertainment/Warner Bros. Discovery.

"It's not a good thing when you take the state's income and provide tax benefits like this, because we lose tax revenue as a result of it," he said.

Nevada needs the funding that the tax breaks negate, Rogich said.

"What does that (movie-studio tax breaks) do for the state that should be using that money for schools?" Rogich asked.

"(My wife and State Sen.) Lori (Rogich) has a passion for special needs children," he said. "We couldn't get any money in the Legislature to do anything with it. And yet they're going to give the movie industry, Hollywood, all these tax benefits?"

Transferable tax credits, however, have played a major role in expanding the economy and professional sports markets in the Las Vegas area.

The funding package for Allegiant Stadium -- a necessity to lure the NFL Raiders to Las Vegas -- included $180 million in transferable tax credits. It was part of a public funding package of $750 million for the stadium.

The current deal for A's stadium on The Las Vegas Strip also includes $180 million in transferable tax credits, approved by the Legislature. Construction of the 33,000-seat domed stadium is ongoing. The Major League Baseball franchise wants it ready for the 2028 season.

"I get the Raiders because it's a different animal," Rogich said, comparing the Allegiant Stadium deal to the movie-studio proposal. "It created a venue, a site that brought concerts and football games and more. And so it was a revenue producer. It's not what Hollywood produces necessarily."

The Sony Pictures/Warner Bros. Discovery studio campus is expected to add 15,000 direct jobs and 19,000 construction jobs, according to published reports. The overall population increase, however, could be more than double the expected job growth, Rogich estimated.

"They're saying 18,000 people would move here," Rogich said. "That's 18,000 workers that bring their families, so it could be as many as 40,000 or 50,000 when you figure in how many people come with them. That's just the individual jobs.

"I mean, it's just complex," Rogich added. "Listen, I want to diversify like everybody does. I think you should put your money into diversification of warehousing, industrial jobs and new schools and infrastructure. Not this boondoggle."

Lombardo is aware of Rogich's stance but they remain friends, Rogich said.

Rogich said he has spoken to Lombardo about the movie-studio deal but would not reveal what was said.

"I don't want to get into that," Rogich said. "You know, they were private conversations. But he knows how I feel. And, I just think it's bad. I don't think it's good for his legacy. And I don't think it's good for our state going forward."

Rogich, however, said the movie-studio deal is not an issue that could hurt Lombardo's chances for re-election.

"He's going to win re-election regardless, in my opinion," Rogich said. "He's a popular governor. He's done a great job. And I don't think he has a problem in that regard," Rogich said.

Lombardo did not drop any hints about his plans for a special session to Rogich.

"No," Rogich said. "He hasn't even told me he's going to call a special session necessarily. He's coy about it, and he should be, you know. He shouldn't be telling people what his plans are specifically until he's ready to pull the trigger."