Apple eyeing North Carolina's Research Triangle for new campus [u]

Posted:
in General Discussion edited May 2018
Apple reportedly has the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill "Triangle" area at the top of its list for a new campus, with the state government working on an incentive package for the company.

North Carolina Research Triangle


According to The Triangle Business Journal, as cited by CNBC, the Research Triangle area in central North Carolina -- which consists of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill -- is a leading contender for Apple's new campus. The Business Journal story cites sources in the region's legal and real estate communities, as well as state government, in reporting that the Triangle is at the top of Apple's list for the new campus.

The process, though, is not in its final stages. Searches for real estate are not always a definite indicator that a deal is imminent -- Apple took nearly two years to decide on the Maiden, N.C. and Prineville, Ore. locations for data centers once it started investigating locations real estate prices.

While it hasn't quite set off the high-profile multi-city bidding war that's been attracted by Amazon's search this year for a second headquarters, Apple in recent months has been conducting a search of its own for a new corporate campus expected at first to host call center employees. It's not clear if this report is referring to a new headquarters, or just another Apple facility, among the dozens they already have.

Companies with large presences in the area include Cisco, Qualcomm, Red Hat, SAS, IBM, and Verizon. The region consists of several universities, including Duke, The University of North Carolina, and North Carolina State, and companies such as IBM and Lenovo have campuses in the region as well. The region is reputed to offer a highly educated workforce.

CNBC reported that North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is "negotiating an incentive package" for Apple, and that meetings in that regard took place while Cook was in town over the weekend for the Duke commencement. Both Cook and top Apple executive Eddy Cue are alumni of Duke.

"We're not doing a beauty contest"

Apple in January announced its intention to build a second headquarters, as part of a push to invest in the U.S. The company later ruled out both California and Texas, leading to speculation that the campus would be located in the Northeast.

The company was clear from the beginning that it was not interested in a city versus city auction process like the one currently being undertaken by Amazon. Cook reiterated that in the "Apple: Revolution" interview on MSNBC in March, stating that "We're not doing a beauty contest kind of thing, that's not Apple."

Update: A follow-up report from WRAL News notes the agreement could generate as many as 10,000 new high-tech and research jobs in a deal worth between $1.5 billion and $2 billion. An incentive schedule seen by the publication grants Apple some 56 percent of the employer's share of withholding taxes for six years, a figure that jumps to 90 percent contingent on job growth.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11
    Why is the picture for the article the NYC World Trade Center Oculus?
  • Reply 2 of 11
    Why is the picture for the article the NYC World Trade Center Oculus?
    My question, too ... what's the connection?
  • Reply 3 of 11
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Good to have a California escape hatch. They should also be looking at moving their headquarters in case of highly unfavorable changes to taxes or privacy-related issues.
  • Reply 4 of 11
    nunzynunzy Posts: 662member
    They will have to compete with Virginia if they want Apple. The city can write down the property taxes or pay for infrastructure. The state can give income tax relief.
  • Reply 5 of 11
    jdgazjdgaz Posts: 407member
    Just wish Apple had Amazon's multiple.
  • Reply 6 of 11
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    Spent many a day on Nortel’s Raleigh/Chapel Hill technical campus learning how to maintain the DMS100/200 telephone switch. AT&T (Ameritech at the time) would put us up in one of the many extended stay hotels in the research triangle area and Nortel would bus us to their campus every day. After we finished the courses they always had “prom night” parties before we left for home.  I don’t know if it’s still the tech hotbed it was when I was there in the early late 80s, early 90s. I hope so. Lots of fun while studying.
    edited May 2018 anantksundaram
  • Reply 7 of 11
    AppleZuluAppleZulu Posts: 2,188member
    Good to have a California escape hatch. They should also be looking at moving their headquarters in case of highly unfavorable changes to taxes or privacy-related issues.
    Those would have to be some seriously bad tax rates to warrant ditching a brand-new $1.1 billion campus.
  • Reply 8 of 11
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    AppleZulu said:
    Good to have a California escape hatch. They should also be looking at moving their headquarters in case of highly unfavorable changes to taxes or privacy-related issues.
    Those would have to be some seriously bad tax rates to warrant ditching a brand-new $1.1 billion campus.
    Well, they could always move their headquarters and keep the campus. ;)
    anantksundaram
  • Reply 9 of 11
    cgWerkscgWerks Posts: 2,952member
    While not my cup of tea, it is a beautiful area with lots of skilled/educated workforce.

    Good to have a California escape hatch. They should also be looking at moving their headquarters in case of highly unfavorable changes to taxes or privacy-related issues.
    Do you think maybe there is a secret feature that will really allow it to be a 'space ship' at least to move to a new location? :)

  • Reply 10 of 11
    buzdotsbuzdots Posts: 452member
    Why is the picture for the article the NYC World Trade Center Oculus?
    Obviously the picture has been changed since first posting, that is a skyline shot of Raleigh.
    edited May 2018
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