Excited bosses believe a new BBC agreement will make Digbeth in Birmingham 'bigger, better and bolder' than Salford's Media City.
The broadcaster signed a memorandum of understanding with the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and Create Central that will see network television production spend by the BBC in the region will go from £24 million to £40 million by the end of 2027.
As part of the deal, which also sees the WMCA commit £5 million per year to the creative industries sector, the BBC will set up a production base in Digbeth.
This follows its move to the Tea Factory in Digbeth and the relocation of major shows such as Silent Witness and Masterchef in recent years.
And West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker said the deal will help the area rival the BBC's Media City hub in Salford, given its location in Birmingham City Centre and increasing transport links with HS2 and the Midlands Metro extension.
BBC Director General Tim Davie also said he wants to continue to grow the organisation's presence in the West Midlands.
Mr Parker said: "Digbeth is going to be bigger, better and bolder than Media City in Salford.
"It's so close to HS2, it's connection is a hop, skip and a jump from the station at Curzon Street.
"We're going to use that to attract that investment that is going to create those thousands of jobs that I'm committed to creating in this sector and in this industry in the West Midlands.
"The agreement is about our mutual and joint commitment to investing in the creative industries in Birmingham and the West Midlands, about how we are going to deliver more investment which will attract more productions here and create more jobs.
"Importantly, there is a commitment in ensuring as many of those jobs go to young people who are living, learning and training here which is fantastic.
"Creative industries, this sector, is one of our priorities for the region and that's why it is so important to me.
"It is also a sector which offers a great many opportunities to so many young people so it's really important and a great statement of intent from the BBC and ourselves."
Mr Davie added: "It's quite a big moment actually because we've had one agreement in 2021 to invest in the region and put more productions up here.
"Since then, you've seen us announce we're moving to the Tea Factory in Digbeth so BBC employees are here.
"But also we've got titles like Silent Witness, Masterchef and other productions coming to the region.
"It's a great moment because it worked, that first investment, so we're now going to the next phase signing our second agreement and that means even more money.
"Real investment in skills, production, jobs, it's pushing on from where we've got to which is a real position of success.
"People will know this area has got incredible talent. Great story telling comes from every postcode.
"Every Brummie will have a story, everyone from across the West Midlands – we have a great history of making television here through the decades.
"The BBC is about telling home-grown stories and we know we can tell them here through the West Midlands.
"We don't want to be arriving and parachuting in for just a few week, we want to make dramas here, make shows like Silent Witness, Masterchef, shoot things here, produce them here.
"Over time we are talking hundreds if not thousands of jobs you can attract to a region in the creative industries.
"And the great thing about creative industries is they are high value jobs. They are also jobs that appeal to people with different skills.
"I'm ambitious about this. I came here when the Tea Factory was totally undeveloped – we're now in a position where if you look down the street, we've got productions and hundreds of people working in this region that weren't here in 2021. Let's go again and keep growing – watch this space!"
