After heated negotiations between producers and the state government, production for Netflix’s acclaimed political drama House of Cards will remain in Maryland for its third season.
Gov. Martin O’Malley and Media Rights Capital, which produces the show, said late Friday that the state approved $11.5 million in tax incentives to keep the production in Maryland, reports The Washington Post. While this is less than the company had hoped, it will at least ensure that the series gets to keep using the same locations used for the first two seasons.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, MRC was seeking a $15 million rebate for the third season, noting that it only received a $26 million rebate for the first two seasons combined.
House of Cards will receive $11.5 million to cover production in 2014. While this is less than what MRC wanted, it is much more than the $4 million Maryland officials believed the show should receive.
The show is based on a BBC drama and stars Kevin Spacey as a South Carolina politicians climbing his way up the Washington D.C. ladder by any means necessary. Robin Wright, who won a Golden Globe, co-stars as his wife.
“House of Cards is the gift that keeps on giving, having injected hundreds of millions of dollars into the local economy while also helping to provide thousands of jobs to our Maryland community,” Asif Satchu, co-CEO of MRC, said in a statement. “We are very grateful to both Governor O'Malley for his tireless efforts to help keep jobs in Maryland and the leadership of the general assembly for their continued advocacy and support.”
“Spoiler alert: we’re going to keep the 3,700 jobs and more than 100 million dollars of economic activity and investment that House of Cards generates right here in Maryland,” O'Malley said.
Production resumes this summer.