The State of Texas today announced that Apple has committed to spend $304 million to expand its operations in Austin, seeking to add 3,600 employees to its facilities there.
The new campus will more than double the size of Apple's workforce in Texas over the next decade, supporting the company's growing operations in the Americas with expanded customer support, sales and accounting functions for the region. In exchange for Apple's commitment to create these new jobs in Texas, the state has offered Apple an investment of $21 million over ten years through the Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF).
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While Apple's Austin campus focuses primarily on customer support and other administrative functions, it does also house some engineering functions primarily related to chip design. Samsung's chip factory where it produces Apple's A-series chips for its iOS devices is also located in Austin and recently underwent a major expansion itself to support Apple's products.
Update: The City of Austin has also proposed an $8.6 million grant investment in the project should Apple meet certain performance metrics presumably tied to campus development and hiring. Apple is required to invest $56.5 million in new facilities and equipment by the end of 2015, with an additional $226 million investment coming by the end of 2021. Apple has also committed to retaining its existing 3,100 jobs in Austin and adding at least 3,635 new jobs, with yearly hiring targets for each of the ten years following the opening of its Phase I expansion.
Top Rated Comments
I don't hear anyone complaining about these jobs coming/staying in the US, even though they support international markets.
That's how business is run. It's quite common for cities or states to incentivize big business with tax exemptions, building pledges, or other perks. It's not a "bribe", but simple negotiation. The $21 million will easily be put back into the local economy through the jobs created, the taxes paid out by employees, and the other business generated by this expansion.
Most in Texas would disagree with you. Austin's lifeline is that big business that allows for its strange and unique culture. The state will make that money back as it has proven time and time again.