After announcing plans to build a $430 million global learning, development and innovation facility in Orlando, in early January, KPMG has already broken ground on its 55-acre, 800,000-square-foot operation in Lake Nona. This is the firm’s largest capital investment project ever according to KPMG LLP Chairman and CEO Lynne Doughtie.
City of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer stated that KPMG’s decision to locate in Orlando signifies that corporate America is realizing that Orlando is a city on the rise. This shift in perception among c-suite executives and site location consultants is largely thanks to Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs’ foresight for the “Orlando. You don’t know the half of it.” branding campaign which is getting Orlando onto the consideration set for more business location decisions. Mayor Jacobs adds that, “Growing jobs is not enough. It’s about growing great jobs like these from KPMG.”
Set to open in 2019, the project began roughly two years ago when KPMG listed Orlando among 49 cities as a possible location before short-listing the list to nine communities. Eventually, Orlando bested Dallas, Texas, for the location.
The Orlando Economic Partnership worked closely with the State of Florida, Enterprise Florida, Orange County, City of Orlando, Orlando Utilities Commission, CareerSource Florida, CareerSource Central Florida, Visit Orlando and the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority on this project.
