Gov. Rick Scott today announced Bristol-Meyers Squibb is establishing a new bio-pharmacological facility in Hillsborough County, creating more than 575 new jobs.
The North America Capability Center will open January 2014 with 250 new employees, adding more than 325 more jobs by sometime 2017.
“Bristol-Myers Squibb’s decision to open this new facility in Tampa and create 579 jobs is great news for Florida families,” Scott said in an announcement. “Announcements like this show that companies are taking notice of our economic turnaround and that it’s working in Florida.”
The new jobs will be in information technology, marketing, business and finance, as well as functions supporting the company’s activities in the United States.
Although the final site for the facility in Hillsborough County has not settled upon, several factors led to the choosing Tampa Bay as the newest venue for Bristol-Myers Squibb.
“We evaluated many locations and considered many factors before deciding that Florida was the best state for our new facility,” said Gareth Morgan, senior vice president of Bristol-Myers. “We specifically selected Hillsborough County for several reasons, including its talented work force, strong university presence, the Tampa Bay region’s business climate, economy and quality of life, and availability of the necessary logistics and office facilities.”
Several local groups played a pivotal role in attracting the world-renown biotech company to Bay Area, including Enterprise Florida, Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners, Tampa Bay Partnership, Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation, Workforce Florida, Inc. and Department of Economic Opportunity.
To attract Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Hillsborough County will dedicate a total of $2.1 million, including nearly $700,000 under Florida’s Qualified Targeted Industry program and $1.4 million from the Quick Action Closing Fund, according to the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
However, no money will go to the company until the jobs are created. The payments will be phased in over a four-year period.
“The addition of these 579 jobs is great news for families in Hillsborough County, as well as for students interested in pursuing careers in the life sciences,” said Department of Economic Opportunity Executive Director Jesse Panuccio. “Bristol-Myers Squibb’s locating in the Tampa Bay area is further evidence that Governor Scott’s pro-growth policies and business-friendly approach are helping to create high-quality private-sector jobs throughout Florida.”
