NBC Sports prepares to bid farewell to 30 Rock

NBC Sports is on the move.

The network’s sports division has already been broadcasting “NHL Live” and “Costas Tonight” from a renovated factory in Stamford, Conn.

The new facility, which opened earlier this year, includes a total of seven production studios as well as office space and support services for the 500 employees who will eventually call the building home.

NBC spent $100 million to renovate the facility, a formal Clairol factory, aided by multiple tax credits the state of Connecticut is offering to lure television production to the state.

NBC remains adamant that it has no plans to abandon 30 Rock, emphasizing that a lack of space in the Manhattan building and opportunity to bring more sports staffers under one roof drove the move.

In addition, some programming, including “Football Night in America” will remain at 30 Rock for the “foreseeable future,” as well as half a floor of office and meeting space for NBC Sports.

Comcast, NBC’s parent company, also purchased a portion of Rockefeller Center as part of its acquisition of the network and there are reports there are renovations in the offing.

And, of course, NBC News still calls the building home, with substantial studio, production, editorial and administrative operations based in the building — that was overhauled in 2007 when MSNBC and the main NBC newsroom left its original Secaucus headquarters for the third floor of 30 Rock.

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It’s worth noting that MSNBC was originally lured to Secaucus as part of a New Jersey tax credit program and NBC faced substantial penalties for pulling out.