The 1987 cult movie classic “Dirty Dancing,” though set in New York’s Catskills, draws fans every year to the southwest Virginia lodge where it actually was filmed.
“We do seven ‘Dirty Dancing’ weekends a year,” said Heidi Stone, president and chief executive of Mountain Lake Lodge, which offers dance lessons and movie screenings, though no guaranteed summer flings with Patrick Swayze-level heartthrobs. The themed weekends sell out a year in advance.
Advocates for Virginia’s film and television industry are pushing for increased state film incentives, citing the continued success of “Dirty Dancing”, which generates over $1 million (R18m) annually for Mountain Lake Lodge, benefiting the local Giles County economy.
Currently, Virginia’s film incentives are among the lowest in the country, with the state ranking 35th out of 40.
In response, lawmakers are considering a proposed budget amendment to increase funding for film incentives.
While some lawmakers, like Delegate Terry Kilgore, argue that better incentives would help Virginia compete with other states, critics like Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell question the effectiveness of such subsidies.
Supporters, however, point to studies showing that every dollar spent on film incentives generates $13 in economic activity, with several major productions, like “Lincoln“, contributing millions to the state’s economy.
Local businesses, including restaurants and suppliers, also benefit, as seen with the filming of “Lincoln” in Virginia.
At Mountain Lake Lodge, the “Dirty Dancing” dividends extend beyond the themed weekends that draw the movie’s (mostly middle-aged) superfans.
Two “Dirty Dancing”-themed reality shows have filmed there over the years, and the lodge hosts an annual “Dirty Dancing” festival, a ticketed event open to people who are not staying at the lodge, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, about 20 miles southwest of Virginia Tech.
Stone, the lodge’s chief executive, also markets the scenic 2 600-acre property for projects wholly unrelated to Baby and Johnny.
It was the setting for “Wish You Well,” a 2013 movie based on a David Baldacci novel.
“I’m the poster child that film matters for my county,” she said. “It’s a game changer for us.”
The Washington Post