Big Spring just joined an exclusive club. Governor Abbott announced that the city is now officially designated as a Film Friendly Texas Certified Community by the Texas Film Commission. Sounds fancy, right? But here’s what it actually means: Hollywood is about to come calling, and your little corner of West Texas is about to get very interesting.
What This Actually Means for Big Spring
This isn’t just a certificate on the wall. More than 200 Film Friendly Texas Certified Communities across the state receive ongoing training and guidance from the Texas Film Commission on media industry standards, best practices, and how to effectively accommodate on-location filming activity in their community.
Translation: Big Spring just got trained up to be a professional film location. The city knows how to handle production crews, manage traffic, accommodate equipment, and make filmmakers’ lives easier. That means movies and TV shows are coming.
Why Big Spring Is Hollywood-Ready
Walk downtown and you’ll understand why filmmakers are interested. The meticulously restored 1930s Hotel Settles serves as the towering centerpiece of downtown Big Spring. The 15-story, 150-room hotel opened in 1930. At the time, Hotel Settles was the tallest building between El Paso and Fort Worth.
But that’s just the headliner. At Comanche Trail Park, you can see the site of the city’s namesake spring, which attracted buffalo, Native Americans, settlers, and the railroad. The park is also home to a playground, an 18-hole golf course, and an outdoor aquatic center.
Big Spring State Park is a 385-acre park on the 200-foot limestone bluff known as Scenic Mountain. Joggers and dog-walkers flock to the winding road that climbs the hill amid scrub oak, mesquite, juniper, and yucca. The summit affords a terrific view of Big Spring and the rolling prairie and flatlands that stretch beyond.
You’ve got historic downtown. You’ve got natural beauty. You’ve got that authentic West Texas vibe that can’t be faked. That’s exactly what filmmakers are looking for.
It’s Already Happened Here
Big Spring isn’t new to the camera. The opening scenes of 1969’s “Midnight Cowboy” were shot here, with Joe Buck boarding a bus with his cowhide suitcase. Big Spring still feels like a place where epic stories begin. The city has actually served as a filming location for movies and television shows over the last 55 years.
Why This Designation Matters Economically
Governor Abbott summed it up: “The Texas Film Commission partners with communities in every region of the state to market their unique appeal and attract new investments in media production. Through ongoing Film Friendly Texas training, communities are prepared to support media production, spurring on-site spending at local businesses and creating good-paying jobs for Texans.”
Here’s what that means: When a film crew comes to town, they need places to stay (hello, Hotel Settles). They need food (local restaurants). They need equipment rental. They need hired hands. They need security. They need everything. And all that money stays in Big Spring.
It’s not just about the novelty of seeing a movie crew in town. It’s about real jobs and real money flowing into the community.
The City Leaders Get It
Mayor Robert Moore said it perfectly: “From our meticulously restored 1930s Hotel Settles and Municipal Auditorium to our turn of the century historic downtown, and from our namesake spring to our scenic bluffs and windswept plains, Big Spring offers an incredible variety of potential filming locations.”
This isn’t accidental. This is a community that’s been working to preserve its history and showcase its beauty. The Film Friendly Texas designation is recognition of that work paying off.
What Comes Next
The Texas Film Commission isn’t just making designations for fun. For more than 50 years, the Texas Film Commission in the Governor’s Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office has helped grow local jobs and economies by promoting Texas as the premier destination for film, television, commercial, animation, visual effects, video game, and extended reality production.
Big Spring is now officially part of that network. Producers looking for West Texas locations will find Big Spring on the list. Casting directors will know where to look. Production companies will know the city is ready to work with them.
The Real Impact
This is what economic development actually looks like—not a check or a tax break, but recognition of what you’ve already built and help getting the world to notice it.
Big Spring spent decades preserving its history, restoring its landmarks, and maintaining its character. Now that character is officially valuable. It’s officially marketable. It’s officially part of Texas’s film industry.
The cameras are coming. And Big Spring is ready.
