NASHVILLE — Tennessee officials have quietly asked Paramount Skydance to consider relocating its corporate headquarters to the state, signaling a bid to attract a major entertainment employer amid the company’s disputed merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.
State outreach comes as merger fight unfolds
In a July 2 letter obtained by trade press, Tennessee Deputy Gov. and Department of Economic and Community Development commissioner Stuart McWhorter asked Paramount CEO David Ellison to weigh a move to Tennessee. The approach follows public tension between Paramount and California officials over Paramount’s planned roughly $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.
That dispute erupted into litigation July 13, when California joined a 12-state coalition that sued to block the transaction on antitrust grounds. The Hollywood Reporter first detailed Tennessee’s outreach and noted Ellison’s recent ties to the state; he lived in Tennessee at various times between 2014 and 2025.
"We are also uniquely positioned geographically," McWhorter wrote. "Located within a day's drive of nearly half the U.S. population, Tennessee provides unmatched access to markets, customers, and talent."
The letter highlights Tennessee’s transportation and business assets, noting Nashville International Airport’s growth and the state’s central location. It does not specify which Tennessee city state officials would prefer for Paramount’s corporate offices, nor have state officials provided further comment to media outlets.
What the recruitment pitch included
- Geographic advantages: within a day’s drive of nearly half the U.S. population, per McWhorter.
- Airport connectivity: mention of Nashville International Airport as one of the fastest-growing U.S. airports.
- Leadership outreach: a direct letter from the deputy governor and economic development commissioner to Paramount’s CEO.
The outreach comes as Paramount reportedly tried to offer concessions to California regulators — including a pledge to produce 30 films per year and a 45-day theatrical window — offers that trade reporting says were declined before the lawsuit.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Target company | Paramount Skydance Corp. (parent of Paramount Pictures) |
| Reported acquisition | Planned purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery (~$111 billion) |
| Production pledge | 30 films per year |
| Theatrical window | 45 days |
Local implications and unanswered questions
If Paramount were to move its corporate headquarters, the state could gain high-profile private-sector jobs and related economic activity. But the letter and reporting do not indicate any concrete incentives offered, a preferred Tennessee city, or a timeline for negotiations. State officials did not respond to requests for comment through Scene’s Nashville Post affiliate at the time of reporting.
For Tennessee residents and local officials, the outreach underscores a broader strategy of marketing the state as a business-friendly, geographically connected alternative to traditional media hubs. Whether that pitch will translate into a headquarters relocation depends on the outcome of the merger fight, corporate decisions by Paramount Skydance leadership, and any follow-up from Tennessee’s economic development team.
— Ruby Callahan, Tennessee correspondent
