February 14, 2018 - 5:15pm
Two global brands are expanding their footprint in the Sunshine State, bringing more than 800 jobs to Florida.
On Wednesday, Gov. Rick Scott announced that Virgin Voyages, a new cruise line from Virgin, will be based out of Plantation where they plan to invest almost $16 million.
Scott said the company would lead to more than 300 news jobs in the area.
“I am proud to announce that Virgin Voyages has selected Florida to locate their new headquarters, which will create more than 300 new jobs for families in South Florida,” Scott said. “As a top tourism destination, the gateway to Latin America and one of the most business-friendly states, Florida is the best place for Virgin Voyages’ new headquarters.”
“Virgin brands have a long history of raising the bar in every industry we enter. We are proud to bring that mindset to the South Florida community and introduce new jobs and business opportunities to the area,” said Thomas McAlpin, the president and CEO of Virgin Voyages.
Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin, weighed in on why the company decided to have its headquarters in Broward County and said it won’t be like other cruise operations.
“We basically decided, ‘Let’s have a blank sheet of paper, let’s create the kind of voyage company that we would like to go on,’ and that’s what we’ve done,” he said.
The new company is expected to launch its first cruise out of PortMiami in 2020.
Also on Wednesday, Scott announced Lockheed Martin was expanding their operation in Orlando, creating 500 jobs with an average salary of more than $87,000 as that company invests more than $50 million in Central Florida. With more than 70 locations across the state, Lockheed Martin employs more than 14,000 Florida residents which is more than 10 percent of its workforce around the globe.
“I am proud to announce Lockheed Martin is continuing to invest in Florida by creating 500 new jobs as part of their expansion in Orlando,” Scott said. “Lockheed Martin is already a major job creator for our state, and our commitment to cutting taxes and making Florida business-friendly is making it easier for this global business to continue to create thousands of opportunities for Florida families.”
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