Cape Coral’s Economic Development Office has pledged $6,000 to help WGCU produce a documentary that focuses on veterans living in Southwest Florida.

EDO Business Development Coordinator Christy Vogt said the public broadcast station reached out to the city for support.

She said the city will appear as a sponsor in the documentary credits, and that portions of the documentary were filmed in the city.

When the documentary is completed, it will be shown on public broadcast stations around the country, giving Cape Coral some nationwide publicity.

“The exposure for the city is priceless,” she said.

The city also will retain all of the “B-Roll” footage, according to Vogt, and be able to use that footage anyway it may decide.

They could cut their own commercial specifically for the city, and accentuate the new Veterans Investment Zone or any part of the city. WGCU will produce that commercial, she said.

“We could make Cape Coral look like Vegas or something,” she said.

The city does not have to pony up the $6,000 until next spring, according to Vogt.

She said the EDO also suggested local veterans groups that could be used as interview subjects, such as the Invest in America Veterans Foundation that wants to open an expansive military-themed museum in downtown Cape Coral.

Still, it’s the prospect of Cape Coral hitting televisions nationwide that made the proposal so appealing, she said.

“The demographic that watches public TV is the same that comes or could come to Cape Coral,” Vogt said. “Whatever station buys this program will show it a couple of times a year and all these people will see Cape Coral.”

Vogt also said that Cape Coral was one of several local municipalities that contributed to funding the documentary.

More information on the documentary producers, and details of the documentary, will be available next week. Producers were unavailable for comment at press time on Friday.