Georgia

Georgia exemplifies Sun Belt ascendancy: an economy growing faster than the national average, powered by film production, logistics infrastructure, and corporate relocations. The state ranked first for film production in 2025, with $2.6 billion in production spending during fiscal 2024 and nearly $3 billion in planned studio investments for 2024-2027. Stage space exploded from 45,000 square feet in 2010 to over 4.5 million in 2024—soon to reach 7 million, surpassing all other states.

The logistics advantage compounds the entertainment economy. The Port of Savannah's recent expansion and the Georgia Port Authority's inland container port network tap markets that coastal competitors cannot reach. Thirty-three Fortune 1000 companies now headquarter in metro Atlanta, up from 26 before the pandemic. The data center industry thrives, ranking seventh nationally with major construction underway.

Yet concentration creates fragility. Tyler Perry's $800 million studio expansion paused after witnessing AI capabilities; the technology that powers Georgia's tech sector threatens its entertainment sector. Film production depends on tax incentives that cost the state revenue. When Hollywood's labor disputes or AI anxieties cascade, Georgia's soundstages feel the impact within months.

By 2026, Georgia will likely continue its growth trajectory while managing sector-specific vulnerabilities. The state demonstrates the Sun Belt formula: business-friendly regulation, infrastructure investment, aggressive incentives. What remains uncertain is whether film production's current momentum survives entertainment industry restructuring.