When Taylor Sheridan shifted his production operations to Texas, few could anticipate the scale of economic growth it would trigger in Fort Worth. With Sheridan’s presence firmly established, the city is attracting billions in investment and transforming the local film industry, making the term “Hollywood South” a tangible reality. This expansion embodies the rise of Taylor Sheridan Texas Studios as a major creative and economic force.
Central to this growth are Ross Perot Jr. and Mike Berry, chairman and president of Hillwood, the real estate firm spearheading the AllianceTexas development. Speaking at a Texas Christian University (TCU) Center for Real Estate event, they discussed how a modest airport project evolved into one of the nation’s busiest regions and how Sheridan’s involvement could define Fort Worth’s future.
You cannot be a great city if you don’t have great developers,
Perot stated, acknowledging the role of TCU’s community in Fort Worth’s expansion. Berry added with a smile,
We have an unofficial motto at Hillwood. NML. Need more land.
Their enthusiasm peaked when Sheridan came up: Perot surprised many business leaders by emphasizing the potential of Sheridan’s Yellowstone series.
He stood up and said, ‘This Taylor Sheridan thing is real. The whole Yellowstone craze is. You should grab that and make a whole economic development strategy around it.’
Initially doubtful, Berry soon recognized the global reach and financial impact of Sheridan’s productions.
Sure enough, as he is in most areas, where he’s five or 10 years ahead of everybody, he was right,
Berry affirmed. Perot added,
You have a Fort Worth citizen, Taylor Sheridan, and his shows really do resonate with the Texas crowd and the U.S. crowd,
further explaining,
That’s why I said: ‘This guy generates so much activity. How do we embrace him as a city? How do we have filming here? And where will it go?’
A Major Studio Project Takes Shape
The result of this vision is SGS Studios, a sprawling 450,000-square-foot production facility developed through a partnership between Sheridan’s company, Hillwood, and Paramount Television. Situated within the Alliance area, this studio is currently the largest operational space in Texas, capable of handling four major projects simultaneously.
Investing around $65 million, Hillwood and Sheridan are also collaborating with TCU and regional educational programs to nurture upcoming film professionals. This initiative aims beyond construction; it seeks to cultivate a full creative environment. Sheridan emphasized,
SGS Studios isn’t just about soundstages or tax incentives — it’s about reclaiming the independence and grit that built this industry in the first place,
adding,
Texas offers something rare: the space to dream big, the freedom to build fast, and a community that still believes storytelling matters.
You are lucky to live in Texas,
Perot reminded the audience.
And lucky to be here at TCU.
Current Productions and Local Impact
Sheridan’s influence is highly visible across the studio’s projects. The latest to film publicly at SGS Studios is Landman Season 2, starring Billy Bob Thornton, Ali Larter, and Michelle Randolph, who also appears in 1923. The series centers on oilman Tommy Norris as he contends with greed, cartel dangers, and the West Texas oil surge. The debut season thrived on Paramount+, setting viewership records as the platform’s most-watched original. The upcoming season is scheduled for release next month.
Key Cast of Landman
- Billy Bob Thornton portrays Tommy Norris, the oil executive confronting various threats amid the industry boom.
- Ali Larter plays Angela Norris, a crucial character connected to Tommy Norris’s story.
