Council discusses land incentive to attract firm
During its workshop meeting Monday night, Cape Coral City Council discussed a recommendation of approving a land incentive proposal for three acres, valued at $300,000, for a full service advertising company.
Business Recruitment Specialist Audie Lewis said they are trying to bring in a company to fill 3 acres of a 10-acre plot of land that is located across the street from city hall.
He said they are currently competing with another city which is also trying to attract the firm. If the company chooses Cape Coral, the firm would have its headquarters located here.
The company would “make a great anchor tenant,” Lewis said. “We think that having one anchor tenant of this quality will make it easy to get other tenants interested in the site as well.”
The company would bring money into the city from a national pot and spend 60 percent of that locally, he said.
The two-story, 20,000-square-foot professional building for the full service advertising agency would most likely use 3 acres, plus or minus half an acre, which is appraised at about $300,000.
The company, which would provide a median wage of $56,000, will benefit 54 employees immediately and a growth of 104 employees within three years.
Lewis said an application has been filled and submitted to Lee County for $250,000 in additional incentives for job creations. He said on April 15 the city will find out the status of the application.
Councilmember Bill Deile raised some concerns after the presentation concluded. He said since the city does not have a commitment from the client and because the Cape is in competition with another city, they should not advertise what they are offering.
“If we are in competition with someone else, we laid out our plan and they know what we have to offer and they can up their ante,” Deile said.