Will any top companies ever move to Gainesville?

[dgreen]

After reading the Lakeland topic...I was wondering what's holidng Gainesville back?

What are your thoughts on this North Central Florida city?

[Florida]

The companies will come if the people of Gainesville welcome them. So the question is... Is Gainesville serious about getting into "the game"?

[Rock2uf]

I would say the main reason Gainesville if often overlooked by large companies is because the city is still viewed as strictly a college town. Unfortunately, most UF students don't even consider staying in Gainesville after they graduate (probably because there are few jobs for them), so there is not an abundance of college educated graduates up for hire. I think we will see a few large branch offices locate in Gainesville within the next ten years. Once the ball gets rolling, I think it will pick up. It just takes one or two companies willing to locate here.

I have many friends who attended UF that would have loved to stay in Gainesville, but, right now, the jobs just aren't here. One day, one day.

[bobliocatt]

I agree with TaureanJ. Gainesville needs to aggressively market itself more. By doing this, it also has to start offering competitive incentive packages like other cities already do. So really, the questions that need to answered is if the citizens of Gainesville are ready to step into the ball game or are they content being the home of UF.

[Rock2uf]

The truth is, I don't think Gainesville will offer incentive packages to large corporations in the near future. It's not that type of town. Nor do I want it to be (unless the right company comes along). Gainesville is a city of 100K that feels like a city of 25K. That's what I love about the city. I'm pretty confident that it can grow and still maintain the small-town feel if planned correctly. For example, Savannah feels like a town of barely over 50K, but I believe it's pop is well over 150K (not that I'm comparing Gainesville to Savannah).

I seriously think that Gainesville will always remain a college town, but it will one day have a much more dense downtown area. One thing that can be said about Gainesville is that it has somewhat controlled its growth (much better than our neighbors to the south, Ocala). Gainesville is in a situation right now where it hasn't grown so fast that it can't correct past mistakes. There are a few key projects in the planning stages right now that will have a dramatic effect on the city's future. Hopefully our city officials will make the right decisions.

[KendallKid]

The truth is, I don't think Gainesville will offer incentive packages to large corporations in the near future. It's not that type of town. Nor do I want it to be (unless the right company comes along). Gainesville is a city of 100K that feels like a city of 25K. That's what I love about the city. I'm pretty confident that it can grow and still maintain the small-town feel if planned correctly. For example, Savannah feels like a town of barely over 50K, but I believe it's pop is well over 150K (not that I'm comparing Gainesville to Savannah).

I seriously think that Gainesville will always remain a college town, but it will one day have a much more dense downtown area. One thing that can be said about Gainesville is that it has somewhat controlled its growth (much better than our neighbors to the south, Ocala). Gainesville is in a situation right now where it hasn't grown so fast that it can't correct past mistakes. There are a few key projects in the planning stages right now that will have a dramatic effect on the city's future. Hopefully our city officials will make the right decisions.

After living and working here in Gainesville for goign on 3 years I have come to a conclusion about this very problem.

1) City of Gainesville cant shake their college town image. For this I blame the city of Gainesville because it seems they are stuck in college town mode and dont dream big enough.

2)Not to insult local A.C.R.'s but there is a serious lack of well educated people who stay in Gainesville.

3)Why would a company want to move here. Point being that Gainesville is unfortunatly close to 3 of the four major Florida cities 80 miles from Jax 160 miles from Tampa and 120 miles from Orlando. A company has those bigger cities with their large work and education base to choose form before deciding (or not) on Gainesville.

[Florida]

After living and working here in Gainesville for goign on 3 years I have come to a conclusion about this very problem.

1) City of Gainesville cant shake their college town image. For this I blame the city of Gainesville because it seems they are stuck in college town mode and dont dream big enough.

2)Not to insult local A.C.R.'s but there is a serious lack of well educated people who stay in Gainesville.

3)Why would a company want to move here. Point being that Gainesville is unfortunatly close to 3 of the four major Florida cities 80 miles from Jax 160 miles from Tampa and 120 miles from Orlando. A company has those bigger cities with their large work and education base to choose form before deciding (or not) on Gainesville.

1) I personally don't think Gainesville's college town attitude will keep it from bringing in top companies. Sometimes that can be one of the top aids in recruting one. I think Gainesville ought to march itself up to Chicago, and claim what is rightfully their's -- Gatorade.

2) Last I checked, Gainesville was second most educated city in Florida, in terms of the percentage of its residents with college degrees, we need not to say the first . I don't see a lack of education.

3) I think Gainesville's lack of size plays in its advantage, or at least it should. Its just going to take the right person to tap into his or her connections elsewhere. My question has always been, does Gainesivlle want to have large companies and a larger population. There's more to Gainesville than college, there's rich history. This question would better be asked to Gainesville's city commission or City Manager. Is Gainesville actively working hard enough to recruit a big company?

[bobliocatt]

I agree with that Gainesville can use its size and location to its benefit. Lakeland has done a great job at doing this to compete against Tampa and Orlando for companies. Over the last couple of years, they've been able to pull in regional corporate offices like Marriott International, Lockheed Martin, GEICO and State Farm, by selling them on a cheaper cost-of-living and having a centralized location.

[Florida]

good comparison. well said.

[Jahi98]

I just completed grad school at UF, and I now live and work in Gainesville. Staying here definately wasn't my first choice; however, I know some people who might choose Gainesville over other bigger cities if the right jobs were available. I've only been here a couple of years (mostly as a student), but I think more could be done to use the great resource of UF to the area's advantage to attract businesses and/or create businesses. The city of Gainesville might not seem to be all that aggressive, but our growing "suburb" to the north, Alachua, seems to be all about that. Gainesville may continue to be centered on UF and gov't jobs, and will continue to be the center of entertainment and culture for the region. However, I think Alachua may become the place where a lot of the corporate jobs end up.

[dgreen]

I just completed grad school at UF, and I now live and work in Gainesville. Staying here definately wasn't my first choice; however, I know some people who might choose Gainesville over other bigger cities if the right jobs were available. I've only been here a couple of years (mostly as a student), but I think more could be done to use the great resource of UF to the area's advantage to attract businesses and/or create businesses. The city of Gainesville might not seem to be all that aggressive, but our growing "suburb" to the north, Alachua, seems to be all about that. Gainesville may continue to be centered on UF and gov't jobs, and will continue to be the center of entertainment and culture for the region. However, I think Alachua may become the place where a lot of the corporate jobs end up.

That's sad IMO.

[Florida]

^What's sad?