Big names back Lee County, other Southwest Florida candidates

FLORIDA MAY LAUNCH TV INCENTIVES FOR 'COCOA BEACH'

The state could find itself financially backing a "Mad Men"-style TV show about the early days of the space industry in Florida. Department of Economic Opportunity spokeswoman Jessica Sims said a local effort to attract the show --- still in the development phase and in search of a location --- has been "conditionally certified for a film incentive." The amount of the potential incentive was not available. The Legislature allotted $296 million in 2012 toward a four-year tax credit program focused on attracting film and TV productions to Florida. Cocoa Beach Mayor Dave Netterstrom asked Gov. Rick Scott on May 29 to help free up state incentive money to draw the TV show --- working title "Cocoa Beach"--- to the Space Coast. Netterstrom informed Scott that the Space Coast is in competition with Louisiana for the show that is expected to be similar to the AMC series "Mad Men," with the focus on people working in the space program during the 1960s.