Elk Grove Apple Campus Expansion Could Be Sign Of Things To Come For Tech In Sacramento
ELK GROVE (CBS13) — Major changes at the Apple campus could help bring thousands of jobs to Elk Grove.
The campus, which has been around since 1992, handles warehousing, distribution and a customer call support facility.
"What this expansion says about Elk Grove as a marketplace or other companies is huge; the largest company in the world is essentially doubling down on Elk Grove," said economic development director Darrell Doan.
While he can't comment on what specific jobs will be coming because of the expansion, Doan says the tech giant is investing $13 million on the project. It will include newly renovated buildings, parking space and a wellness center.
"We anticipate several thousand jobs. Which is huge," he said. "Apple is already our first largest private employer. One of the largest private employers in the region."
The good news could spread beyond Elk Grove, as the big investment could show other tech companies the Sacramento Valley is a great place to do business.
"These companies are overpaying for people, they're overpaying for real estate," said Barry Broome with the Greater Sacramento Area Economic Council. "The residents there have to suffer through congestion and here we are in our communities like Elk Grove that bend over backwards for businesses."
But, he says, Sacramento still has some convincing to do to lure companies east.
"We're affordable, but we are talented, too," he said. "The big thing we have to get through is to convince these markets is that we have talent and that our talent base is strong enough to seriously consider in the future."