JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville’s financial and technology footprint is expanding thanks to a new city partnership.
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At the JAX Chamber on Tuesday, city leaders revealed that Intercontinental Exchange Inc. (ICE) was the company behind the so-called “Project Paper.”
They said they were excited about the additional growth that could come to the city.
“It is with great pride that I stand before you to announce a very big victory for our city,” Mayor Donna Deegan said during the press conference.
ICE establishes its national headquarters for its mortgage technology division in Jacksonville.
In November, the council approved $21 million in municipal incentives for the company’s $216 million expansion in Jacksonville.
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The city’s incentives require the company to maintain its current 1,500 jobs and create 500 more.
“You see people all over the world, people recognize Jacksonville as a technology hub, and that’s what we want,” Mayor Deegan said.
She added that this is important, “because these are the jobs of the future. Young people are interested in these jobs – that’s where things are changing.”
After more than two years of work on this project, the JAX Chamber and other city leaders sealed the deal.
“They see our favorable business environment, they see our quality of life and they see the development of our workforce that we have in the technology industry and they are just ready to be a part of it,” said the Mayor Deegan.
ICE is a global company that digitizes and automates real estate and real estate financing systems.
This agreement brings many opportunities to the locals.
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“Jacksonville is a tech city, so the more talent we can attract, the more higher-paying jobs we can create, it’s only going to benefit our local talent and our workforce,” said Councilman Joe Carlucci municipal district 5.
ICE recently bought local financial company Black Knight and already employs locals.
“They’re already bringing employees here,” Mayor Deegan said. “It’s a process that has already started and they are very excited about this growth.”
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