Why are there so many HQ relocation announcements right now?
We have seen a rash of headquarter relocations since January. What does that mean? Many companies have shelved expansions as a result of an uncertain economy, so they do the next best thing -- save money by relocating their headquarters to the South, just like Toyota (Texas), Tesla (Texas), Nissan (Tennessee), Mercedes-Benz and Porsche (both Georgia). It gives them something to do when expansion plans have slowed. We have covered every recession since 1981, and this headquarters run is a sign of a struggling economy.
Visual Capitalist ranks Austin the No. 2 magnet for new corporate HQs
Dallas-Fort Worth and Austin are ranked No. 1 and No. 2 by Visual Capitalist on a new list of metros that have added the most corporate headquarters from 2018 to 2024. DFW captured 100 headquarters from 2019-2024, according to the report. Austin ranked second with 81 new headquarters during that period. It should be noted that the San Francisco Bay area lost the most headquarters with 156. Los Angeles lost 106 HQs.
Who’s capturing the most HQ relocations from 2018 to 2024?
Dallas-Fort Worth MSA – 100 headquarters captured
Austin MSA – 81 headquarters captured
Nashville – 35 headquarters captured
Phoenix – 31 headquarters captured
Houston – 31 headquarters captured
Source: Visual Capitalist
Yum Brands (KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut) considering relocating HQ from Louisville
Yum Brands, the Louisville-based fast-food chain giant, is considering moving its corporate headquarters, but for now is expected to remain in Louisville.
No decisions have been made regarding the move, but Yum did move KFC’s headquarters to Plano, Texas, a few months back at a cost of $7 million. Louisville has been home to Yum Brands since 1997.
Right now, Miami is hotter than any Texas town as a tech hub
There are all kinds of tech hubs in Texas and we are not just talking about mega-markets like DFW, Austin and Houston. We are talking about places like Taylor, Georgetown, Plano, Sugarland and Katy, Texas.
But that rate of growth in tech company attraction can’t compete with South Florida. Although, according to Venture Capital firm SignalFire, San Francisco and New York remain the top locations for tech companies and tech talent.
Two warm markets are making a run to the top -- Miami and San Diego. Miami's low taxes, cultural amenities and warm climate continue to attract entrepreneurs and startups, the report said. That has helped fuel a 12 percent increase in jobs related to artificial intelligence.
Aviation Week: JetZero down to three locations
California-based JetZero has narrowed location/sites down to three, according to media property Aviation Week. It is reported that Piedmont Triad International Airport is one of the three. We believe Cecil Field in Jacksonville may be a player. As for the third location choice for the startup commercial airliner manufacturer, well, there are many that fit the bill, including Florida’s Space Coast, specifically Brevard County. So, just spin a dial or flip a coin on the third site.
Mitsubishi is in talks with Nissan about joint production in the U.S.
In late May, Nissan confirmed discussions with fellow Japanese automaker Mitsubishi, which wants to use the Nissan plant in Canton, Miss., to build its cars. Or, it could use the Nissan plant in Smyrna, Tenn., which is close to Nissan’s transmission plant in Winchester, Tenn. . . .or both, for that matter. The potential automotive manufacturing partnership is the first post-tariffs deal in the Southern Automotive Corridor. Expect a few more.
The partnership, if made as of this June 2nd writing, would boost Mitsubishi’s capacity of Southern-made automotive models and batteries. Nissan made a deal to produce batteries at Ford-SK On’s plant in Hardin County, Ky. That plant is nearly complete, but has been delayed. We believe all of these projects are a result of President Trump’s tariffs. We call them that, since Congress has not approved a single bill regarding the tariffs as of yet.
Alabama
Another milestone at Hyundai’s Montgomery plant achieved
In the spring quarter, Alabama officials celebrated Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama’s 20 years of automotive production in Montgomery. Today, the plant houses over 4,000 workers and has built 6.2 million vehicles at a total sticker cost of an estimated gross of over $300 billion (with a “B”) in 20 years. Wow!
Governor Kay Ivey proclaimed that HMMA’s 20th anniversary represents a “moment to not only honor its remarkable accomplishments, but also the teamwork, innovation and partnerships that have defined its legacy.”
HMMA President and CEO Mark Rader praised the performance of the company’s state and local partners. “On behalf of our 4,200 team members, HMMA is honored and deeply grateful to Governor Ivey for her formal commendation to HMMA for its 20th anniversary and its contributions to Alabama’s economy, workforce and future over the past two decades,” Rader said.
Work begins on $80 million job training center in Jasper, Ala.
Construction on the Heman Drummond Center of Innovation (HDCI), an $80 million job training center, has begun on a campus in Jasper, northwest of Birmingham. It is expected to open in the fall of 2026. With more than 200,000 square feet, the center will be able to serve about 2,100 high school students, offering training in cyber IT, robotics, healthcare, automotive and construction capabilities.
Brasfield & Gorrie celebrates investment project with new Birmingham jobs
Mega-contractor Brasfield Gorrie celebrated its 28,500-square-foot expansion at its headquarters in the Lakeview District of Birmingham, Ala. The $18.9 million investment in its campus will create 64 new jobs. The company has 13 offices in eight states and most of them are in the South. Alabama Secretary of Commerce Ellen McNair said, “This expansion not only reflects the company’s long-term vision and investment in its people, it also strengthens Birmingham’s position as a hub for talent, innovation and opportunity in the construction industry.” Brasfield & Gorrie’s Birmingham headquarters now supports 1,400 employees.
A new airport opens in the South on Alabama’s Gulf of Mexico beaches
The South’s last new airport opening was the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport on May 23, 2010. That airport is on the Gulf Coast west of Panama City and has grown dramatically in the vacation department, making the 30A highway one of the most affluent locations on the Gulf. Now, it looks like Gulf Shores is getting in on the action. Commercial flights have officially landed at the Gulf Shores International Airport. . .Allegiant Airlines Flight 1403 from Knoxville celebrated with a water cannon welcome in May.
Arkansas
Port of Little Rock captures $1 billion data center
The Little Rock Chamber of Commerce CEO Jay Chesshir told board members that details remained to be worked out before the identity of the 400-acre purchaser could be revealed, adding he expected that to happen in 60 to 90 days as of this writing on June 3, 2025.
An Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) from Little Rock shows that the data center will be built on 400 acres and will build at least a 300,000-square-foot facility in an agreement with Willowbend Capital LLC. Willowbend is evaluating the Port of Little Rock site the MOU states.
Arkansas announces new 875-acre industrial megasite
Entergy and the Port of Little Rock have announced a shovel-ready, 875-acre industrial megasite. The MOU also states that the center is expected to provide 50 “high-quality jobs,” and $1 billion will be spent on constructing and equipping the building. If business conditions are favorable, additional facilities may be added.
Florida
Billion-dollar investment made in Northwest Florida
Williams International announced in late spring it is locating a $1 billion, 1 million-square-foot facility in Okaloosa County, Fla. It is the largest investment by value in Florida Panhandle history. The aviation and aerospace manufacturer conducted a long site search before choosing Okaloosa County, Fort Walton and the Shoal River Industrial Park.
From Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office: “Numerous state, regional and local partners worked together to facilitate this major economic development success story for Northwest Florida. In 2022, Governor Ron DeSantis awarded $3.2 million through the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund to expand manufacturing in Okaloosa County. FloridaCommerce partnered with several state and local organizations including CareerSource Florida, Florida’s Great Northwest, Space Florida, Okaloosa County, and Triumph Gulf Coast on this major economic development win for Florida.”
Orlando MSA leads Florida in job growth
According to FloridaCommerce, the Orlando metro area gained 25,500 jobs between April 2024 and 2025, highest among Florida metros year-over-year. That is up by 1.9 percent. Florida’s total private employment increased by 125,700, or 1.4 percent, year-over-year. There are about 414,000 job postings for roles available across the state, according to FloridaCommerce, previously known as the Department of Economic Opportunity.
Jacksonville's industrial real estate market slows down with increased vacancies
Tariffs and economic uncertainty have slowed the industrial real estate market somewhat dramatically in Southern port cities like Jacksonville. Cushman & Wakefield reported a 14.9 percent drop in industrial real estate leasing activity over the last year. Colliers, in particular, points to tariffs and economic uncertainty as the main cause for putting the brakes on leasing decisions in the first quarter of this year.
Project “Beep” eyes Florida’s Space Coast
No specific company has been associated with “Project Beep” yet. But we do know “Beep” is a $247 million deal that could create 1,000 jobs. . .and we know Florida’s Space Coast is in the running. We also know the deal is from an aerospace concern, which would bring manufacturing, R&D, warehousing and administrative facilities to the Cape Canaveral Spaceport.
Miami lands HQ from Brazilian software company
Brazilian software company Mignow will expand into the U.S. with a regional hub in Miami. No job or investment data was included in the press release.
Jacksonville, Fla., in major aerospace deal race
Jacksonville is courting a major aerospace deal that could bring up 1,200 jobs to Northeast Florida and the old Cecil Airport. Reports say Jacksonville and Florida have put together a $35 million incentive package for the estimated $400 million project.
Georgia
Tech unicorn OneTrust opens new HQ in Atlanta
OneTrust, which specializes in artificial intelligence and data privacy, has moved its headquarters to the Atlanta Beltline’s Eastside Trail, which is also home to BlackRock, McKinsey & Co. and Mailchimp. The new headquarters will house nearly 500 workers.
Mercedes-Benz is boosting its headquarters in the Atlanta metro
Mercedes-Benz is adding 500 workers to its North American headquarters in Sandy Springs, Ga. The luxury automaker relocated its headquarters to metro Atlanta in 2018.
California-based Prologis behind $17 billion data center south of Atlanta
Prologis officials confirmed to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the San Francisco-based company plans to acquire the roughly 831-acre project site in Coweta County, Ga. If completed, it would be the largest data center in the Atlanta MSA.
Kentucky
Nissan partners with Ford to make EV batteries in Kentucky
Nissan has two very large assembly plants in the Southern Automotive Corridor; one in Tennessee and another in Mississippi. With possible tariff troubles, Nissan is joining others by cuuting exports to the U.S. and expanding here. There haven’t been a large number of deals, as most of the automotive world in North America has hunkered down, with very few new or expanded deals so far this year.
Nissan and Ford have made a deal wherein Nissan uses the yet-to-open Ford battery plant in Glendale, Ky. In late May, The Wall Street Journal reported that a Ford plant in Glendale will be used by Nissan to manufacture batteries for its EVs. Though the report doesn't detail Nissan's production plans, expect that batteries for the Ariya and Leaf, Nissan's only two fully electric vehicles, will come from the Kentucky plant.
Nissan is cutting costs globally, though it might shift the Sentra model production to its plant in Canton, Miss., where it has offered buyouts to workers as part of its cost-cutting measures. The Japanese automaker is also closing seven assembly plants worldwide, but both Southern plants seem safe from closure for now.
Manufacturer completes expansion in Kentucky
Gov. Andy Beshear joined local leaders in Mercer County, Ky., and executives from Earth Breeze, a producer of environmentally friendly laundry detergent sheets, to cut the ribbon on an approximately $5.9 million operation in Harrodsburg that is creating 226 full-time Kentucky jobs.
“This is yet another great manufacturing project for the commonwealth and an incredible job-creation opportunity for Mercer County and the surrounding region,” Gov. Beshear said. The location will be home to several aspects of the company’s production process, including the blending of its proprietary eco-friendly formulation, drying and processing, cutting and packaging, order fulfillment operations, quality control laboratory testing and research and development.
Manufacturer expands Louisville operation
Aegis Sortation, a leading provider of efficient, high-quality sortation solutions, will locate in a new facility and expand its Louisville operation with a nearly $16 million investment, creating 80 new Kentucky jobs.
L2 Aviation opening operation in Northern Kentucky
L2 Aviation is investing in its facilities at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) in Boone County. The company, a maker and designer of comprehensive avionics design, consulting, engineering, manufacturing and installation, will invest $12.2 million and hire 250 in the deal.
Packaging manufacturer to build new facility in Lebanon, Ky.
Morris Packaging is building a $61 million flexible packaging center in Lebanon. The deal will create 276 full-time jobs.
Louisiana
Reuters calls Louisiana economy “a revival”
Since Gov. Jeff Landry has been in office, Louisiana has captured over $61 billion in investments. The signs that Louisiana is headed in the right direction are unmistakable. Meta is building a $10 billion AI data center in Richland Parish; Hyundai Steel Company is building a $5.8 billion steel mill in Ascension Parish; and Louisiana is poised to lead the world in liquid natural gas (LNG) production with Woodside Energy’s $17.5 billion LNG investment in Calcasieu Parish and Venture Global’s $18 billion LNG expansion in Plaquemines Parish.
Louisiana snags $61 billion in energy and clean energy projects
Underscoring the importance of these energy projects, a just-released study by LSU economist Stephen Barnes, PhD., shows Louisiana’s energy industry now generates:
To capitalize on this economic wave, GNO, Inc., the New Orleans’s region primary economic development office, and partners are building the Louisiana Future Energy Center at UNO, scheduled to open in 2026.
Green Fuels investing $110 million in Acadiana (Cajun Country)
Green Fuels Operating PC (GFO) announced it will invest $110 million to transform the historic Evangeline Processing Facility in Acadia Parish into a Net Zero Emissions Technology (NZET) refinery. The company is expected to create 60 direct new jobs with an average annual salary of $80,000, more than 80 percent higher than the parish average wage.
In addition to Green Fuels deploying its NZET technology at the shuttered Acadiana facility, which first opened in 1957, GFO plans to develop a 20,000 barrel-per-day refining unit dedicated to producing marine-grade diesel and bunker fuel. The existing facility located in the unincorporated community of Evangeline is outfitted with 15 storage tanks that have a total capacity exceeding 350,000 barrels, and will remain operational while the new GFO refining unit is developed.
The company plans to upgrade the facility to support the production of sustainable marine fuels and house a full-scale waste and brine water treatment system. It will also source local crude to support regional producers alongside feedstock delivered via pipeline and barge.
Skywest to establish MRO facility at the Shreveport Regional Airport
SkyWest Airlines, the nation’s largest regional airline carrier, has selected Shreveport Regional Airport as its newest maintenance base and facility to help support its fleet of nearly 500 regional aircraft. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will result in 150 direct jobs, 375 indirect new jobs, bringing a potential of 525 new jobs to the Northwest Region.
Mississippi
Data center cooling-equipment manufacturer, Modine, to create 450 jobs in Grenada County, Miss.
Thermal management company Modine is upgrading one of its existing facilities in Grenada County to manufacture data center cooling equipment. The project will represent a corporate investment of more than $38 million by the end of 2028 and will create more than 450 jobs.
A first: Two deals make one issue for rural Granada, Miss.
In addition to the Modine deal in Granada that was announced in the spring quarter, Milwaukee Tool is growing its plant in Granada County, Miss., which makes two deals featured in a single issue, a first.
North Carolina
Greensboro airport should land another major aerospace project
The Piedmont Triad International Airport is already home to Boom Supersonic, a next-generation airliner. Honda private jets are also made there, along with several other aerospace companies operating out of PTI, including Cessna.
PTI could be home to another large user. Guilford County has put together a nice incentive package for JetZero, a next-generation jetliner. JetZero has developed a blended-wing passenger jetliner and is looking for its first assembly plant and a reported 10,000 jobs. The deal is from a California startup and there are two other locations in the South that are in play.
Daimler chooses Charlotte over Triad or York County, S.C.
Daimler, which operates several truck and auto plants in the South, has selected Charlotte as the new headquarters of its financial division. The deal will create 276 jobs that pay about $140,000 a year on average. Daimler is taking 60,000 square feet of space in Ballantyne, investing $7.8 million.
Tech company moves HQ in Charlotte
Vestige, a company that provides AI-powered safety solutions for transportation fleets, has relocated its headquarters to a larger space in Charlotte. The software company has about 45 employees.
North Carolina has record year in tourism
North Carolina’s tourism industry topped all previous years in 2024 with $36.7 billion in visitor spending. The Tar Heel State ranks fifth in domestic visitors with 40 million. Visitors spend $100 million daily on average, boosting tax revenues.
Premiere biotech company to build new manufacturing plant in Holly Springs, N.C.
Genentech, one of the world’s premiere biotechnology companies headquartered in South San Francisco, Calif., announced it will build a new manufacturing plant in the town of Holly Springs, N.C.
“Our new facility near Raleigh, N.C., an established biopharmaceutical talent hub, will serve as an important new setting within our manufacturing network to help deliver on the promise of our company’s life-changing science and industry-leading pipeline,” said Genentech CEO Ashley Magargee.
Cleveland County, N.C., welcomes global supplier PPG
PPG, an American Fortune 500 company and global supplier of paints, coatings and specialty materials, is investing $380 million in the city of Shelby, a city of about 22,000 located 50 miles west of Charlotte. According to the Cleveland County Economic Development Partnership, PPG is buying a 108,500-square-foot industrial building from the county.
Canadian manufacturer selects Charlotte
Canada-based AVL Manufacturing has chosen Charlotte for its entrance into the U.S. market. The business has created AVL USA Inc. and will invest $56 million for a new manufacturing facility in Charlotte. The project will create more than 325 jobs. The new facility will build enclosures for industrial power generators.AVL's products supply backup power to large data centers, among other uses.
Turkish company’s first U.S. plant goes to Eastern North Carolina
Pelsan Tekstil, which is based in Istanbul and makes products heavily used in the hygiene, medical and insulation fields, is investing $83 million in a job-generating project headed for Goldsboro, N.C. The deal will generate 216 new jobs.
UNC pauses construction on $228 million facility as funding woes force change
The University of North Carolina’s plans for a $228 million, 174,000-square-foot research building has been shelved for now amid federal funding concerns. Federal agencies have terminated 104 grants to UNC and 77 research positions due to terminated grant funding.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma celebrates best month ever!
The Oklahoma Department of Commerce celebrated the most successful month of economic development in state history, based on publicly announced job growth. From April 24 to May 15, companies expanding or launching operations in Oklahoma announced plans to create 2,907 jobs.
“This is what happens when you cut red tape, keep taxes low, and put America-first values to work,” said Governor Kevin Stitt. “Oklahoma is winning because we’re doing things the right way — trusting businesses, protecting freedom and getting government out of the way. Companies are flocking here because they know Oklahoma has their back.” The almost 3,000 jobs were announced in just a 21-day period.
One of the projects included Emirates Global Aluminium’s $4 billion aluminum production plant, choosing Oklahoma as the site for its U.S. operations and creating 1,000 new jobs. The facility will be located on more than 350 acres at the Tulsa Port of Inola, a 2,200-acre industrial park with access to rail, barge transportation and global waterways. Once complete, the facility will be the largest of its kind in the U.S., producing billets, sheet ingots, high-purity aluminum and foundry alloys.
Oklahoma story makes the BBC: Tulsa plans reparations for the Race Massacre of 1921
The city of Tulsa, Okla., is awarding its black community a $105 million reparations package as a result of The Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921. The plan, by Monroe Nichols, Tulsa's first black mayor, focuses on community redevelopment and does not involve direct payments to descendants or the two remaining survivors of the attack.
South Carolina
Rural rules! Big deal in rural South Carolina
Homanit, a leading manufacturer of wood materials, announced it selects Clarendon County to establish the company’s U.S. manufacturing operation. The $250 million investment will create 300 new jobs.
Headquartered in Germany, Homanit is a leading European manufacturer of medium- and high-density wood fiberboards for furniture, automotive, door and coating industries worldwide. The company currently operates production facilities in Germany, Lithuania and Poland.
A $40 million investment will create 215 new jobs in South Carolina
AIRSYS Cooling Technologies, a global cooling solution provider, announced in the spring quarter it is establishing a new global headquarters with an expansion in Spartanburg County. The company’s $40 million investment will create 215 new jobs. AIRSYS, celebrating three decades of doing business this year, is currently headquartered in Greer, S.C., and develops and manufactures information and communication technology cooling equipment. The company’s energy-efficient cooling solutions are used in data centers, schools and telecom cabinets worldwide.
Tennessee
Google plans $10 billion campus in Memphis metro
Google plans to construct a 580-acre campus in West Memphis, Ark., just a Mississippi River bridge away from downtown Memphis. The $10 billion campus would have five "large-scale" data centers, office buildings, parking areas, internal roadways, a utility substation, stormwater management facilities and other site work.
Automotive parts supplier relocates HQ from New York City to Memphis
Premium Guard has relocated its headquarters from New York to Memphis. The company is a major automotive parts manufacturer with $500 million in annual revenue last year. The company employs 300 locally in Memphis prior to the relocation. Premium Guard is one of the largest automotive filter manufacturers in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
Elon Musk and xAI brought the world’s biggest supercomputer to Memphis
A year ago, in an abandoned factory in southwest Memphis over by the “FedEx airport,” Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI moved into the facility to set up the supercomputer, Colossus. Musk claimed Colossus is the most powerful AI training system in the world. An official with xAI reportedly said, “This is just the beginning.”
South Korean company putting up new HQ in Memphis
Heavy industry concern Hyosung HICO is investing $51 million and hiring 123 in Memphis. Hyosung is investing $87 million and will create 410 more jobs by 2027 to the 400 it employs there now.
Texas
Tesla taking more space in and around Austin
Tesla is at it again, gobbling up more and more office and industrial space in the Austin MSA. Tesla occupies more than 11 million square feet in the Austin metro, according to the Austin Business Journal's list of the largest manufacturers. That is primarily at its gigafactory in eastern Travis County, Texas, but also includes buildings in Kyle, Taylor and Hutto. This latest expansion was an acquisition of 300,000 square feet.
One of the southernmost locations in the South is SpaceX’s future world complex (of course, with Florida’s Space Coast) in Boca Chica, Texas
Brownsville, Texas, specifically Boca Chica, Texas, has been transformed economically since Elon Musk and SpaceX built the “Starbase” there. That’s where the largest rocket in the world is partially assembled and launched, right there near Brownsville and Matamoras, Mexico.
Brownsville has a deep-water port, but the future is all about SpaceX in the Eastern Rio Grande Valley. That alone is preparing Brownsville economic development officials to bring more land product online in the region. Recently, officials broke ground on a 730-acre-industrial park indicating that Brownsville is positioning itself for more industrial and manufacturing activity tied to SpaceX.
NextDecade signs first deal in Rio Grande LNG expansion
Houston-based NextDecade has signed the first deal for the company’s LNG plant expansion in Brownsville, Texas, home to SpaceX. Rio Grande LNG has sold 2 million tons of LNG per year to Japan-based Jera Company, Inc. for the past 20 years from Train 5, which is reaching a final investment decision.
Texas Senate approves $8.5 billion for public schools and teacher pay rises
In the spring quarter, the Texas Senate unanimously approved an $8.5 billion investment in the state’s public schools. House Bill 2 provides half of that total for teacher and staff pay raises, the continuance of the Teacher Incentive Allotment, and also provides a new $1.3 billion fixed cost fund for districts to pay overhead expenses. About $430 million was invested in school safety.
Boom-town Austin, Texas’ population growth slows dramatically
In Austin, home to the University of Texas, the Texas Capital and Elon Musk, population growth has waned recently. In fact, population stagnation and a slowdown in job generation are occurring right now in the Heart of Texas. That's according to Lauren Middleton-Pratt, director of the city’s planning department, who cited both issues in a recent memo for what's causing people to leave the city.
Austin grew by just 0.4 percent (slowest growth of all Texas cities) during the 12-month period ending in July 2024, adding 4,000 residents to bring its total population to roughly 994,000, according to new figures from the U.S. Census Bureau released earlier this month. Also, the region added 22,700 jobs in 2024. The Texas MSA created almost 42,000 in 2023.
North Carolina manufacturer The Steel Network to build factory in Taylor, Texas
The Steel Network is preparing to design, build and occupy a factory in Taylor, which is in the Austin MSA. The project will create 60 jobs.
Houston leads the nation in new permits for homebuilding
Houston leads U.S. homebuilding with 11,000 permits in early 2025, according to Consumer Affairs. The lack of zoning laws contributes to Houston's rapid homebuilding growth. Four other Texas cities rank in top 10 for new construction.
Manufacturer TMEIC Corp. Americas opens new headquarters in Houston, relocating from Virginia
TMEIC, a manufacturer of components for the ever-growing data center industry, has relocated its headquarters to Houston’s Energy Corridor. TMEIC Corp. Americas, a subsidiary of Japan-based TMEIC Corp., announced last year it was relocating its headquarters from Virginia.
Richardson, Texas, preparing for AT&T and its 1,000-job expansion
AT&T is headquartered in downtown Dallas. Nearby Richardson has secured a 1,000- job deal from “the phone company,” AT&T. The deal features a lease at the Lakeside Boulevard Tower in Richardson. AT&T has leased 186,000 square feet of space in the expansion.
Fort Worth captures $687 million deal
Wistron Corp., a Taiwanese technology manufacturer, is checking out far North Fort Worth for a new operation as it gears up to build supercomputers in partnership with Nvidia. Wistron plans a $687 million investment for supercomputer factories.
Report: Austin is the No. 1 innovation hub in the South
A new report by CommercialCafe ranks Austin as the top innovation hub in the South, just days after a different study indicated the city's startup and big tech sectors are slowing down. CommercialCafe is an online marketplace for commercial real estate that is owned by California-based real estate software company Yardi Systems Inc.
Austin came in at No. 1 in the ranking (followed by Raleigh, N.C., and Irving, near Dallas) because of its strong performances across employment, business and innovation indexes, according to the report.
Seventy-five cities across the South were analyzed, but Austin came out on top, besting other tech-central MSA rivals like Miami, Houston and D.C. (which is now in SB&D’s coverage territory). Austin also ranked No. 2 for business environment, No. 3 for STEM-related employment, and No. 17 in education.
KBR plans a major aerospace facility in Houston
Houston-based KBR is planning a deal to anchor NASA’s Exploration Park. The new facility will be built on 207 acres and is currently being developed. KBR said it is trying to meet demand for “advanced human-centric systems,” such as tailored food, nutrition and packaging for NASA.
Amazon plants its flag in Belton, Texas
Amazon.com Inc. announced it is expanding its Central Texas presence with a 127,000-square-foot delivery station in Belton, about 60 miles north of downtown Austin.
Well, so far, this is the largest data center deal we have seen
An Austin-based data center investment company is behind a partnership to fund a $15 billion AI data center in the Texas Panhandle. Austin Primary Digital Infrastructure, an Austin-based data center investment company, is part of a strategic partnership funding the development.
The partnership between Austin’s Primary Digital Infrastructure, Denver-based AI infrastructure company Crusoe and asset manager Blue Owl Capital Inc. is funding construction of the project’s second phase, which began in March and will take the project to a total of eight buildings, according to an announcement. The project is in the Lancium Clean Campus in Abilene. Currently, there are about 3,000 workers on the site and that will rise once construction begins.
Tariff uncertainty leads to Texas companies cutting capital investments
As of June, according to the latest Texas Business Outlook Surveys report from the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank, Texas firms are hesitant about big investments amid shifting tariff policies. Forty percent of respondents in the survey expect reductions in capital spending. In 2018, only 14 percent of firms anticipated reducing capital spending in response to tariffs. Sixty percent of respondents also indicate a decrease in company outlook and 55 percent of all respondents indicated they would pass the costs of the tariffs to their customers.
HVAC company moves HQ and 150 jobs to Allen, Texas
Air Conditioning Innovative Solutions Inc. is relocating its headquarters from McKinney to Allen in the DFW metro. The deal will create 150 jobs.
Virginia
Startup EV maker Rivian plans new Northern Virginia sales center
Rivian, which has put off its giant assembly plant east of Atlanta for now, plans a new sales center in NOVA despite some financial challenges. The electric truck maker out of California is setting up shop in Loudon, Va.
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