Equinix will Create and Retain 60 Jobs in Cook County
CHICAGO - Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich today announced more than $1 million in Opportunity Returns support for Equinix, a leading global provider of network-neutral data centers and Internet exchange services, to help the company establish a new data center in Elk Grove Village as part of its approximately $195 million investment. The business investment package will allow the company to create 30 new jobs in Elk Grove Village and retain 30 jobs at its existing data center in Chicago. The investment package comes as a part of Opportunity Returns, the Governor’s comprehensive economic development strategy to create jobs and build the economy in Northeast Illinois.
“In today’s global economy, it is essential that we continue to provide the resources necessary to attract new companies, create more jobs and help people build better lives. We are excited Equinix is expanding in the Chicagoland area because it shows that an internationally successful company believes our economy is heading in the right direction. By committing nearly $200 million to this expansion, Equinix is going to continue creating innovative, high tech services for customers around the globe, as well as high paying jobs,” Gov. Blagojevich said
Founded in 1998, Equinix provides premium data center services for global enterprises, content companies and network service providers, offering premium collocation, traffic exchange, peering and outsourced IT infrastructure services. With corporate headquarters in Foster City, California, the company has Internet Business Exchange™ (IBX) centers located in 11 strategic markets across the U.S. and Asia Pacific, including two IBX centers in Chicago. Equinix will invest approximately $195 million to establish a third IBX Center in Elk Grove Village, creating 30 good-paying jobs, and keeping 30 employees at its Lakeside Technology Center in Chicago. The company has already purchased the site and will begin construction this month.
“This new Chicago IBX center is another indication of Equinix’s commitment to making investments that support our customers’ growth and further extending our market leadership position,” said Peter Van Camp, CEO of Equinix. “We are excited to be expanding our presence in Chicago and my thanks to Gov. Blagojevich and his team for providing us with the resources we need to help make this happen.”
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is administering the business investment package. It includes Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) corporate income tax credits over the next ten years based on job creation and retention; Employer Training Investment Program (ETIP) job training funds that will help the company enhance the skills of its workforce; and a grant for construction, renovation, machinery and equipment at the new facility.
“Time and time again, Gov. Blagojevich has proven to be a friend of business. Equinix could have expanded anywhere around the world, but it choose Illinois. I look forward to continue working with the company as it grows and adds even more jobs,” State Senator Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago) said.
“I want to thank Gov. Blagojevich for all of his support, and I want to thank Equinix for believing in our state. This partnership will produce even more of those highly coveted, high paying jobs right here in Illinois,” State Rep. Elga Jefferies (D-Chicago) said.
Equinix offers access to more than 200 network providers, including all of the top global Tier 1 networks. The company’s customers include IBM, Google, Sony Online, Ticketmaster, Hotwire, Yahoo!, and Microsoft.
Since December 2003, Equinix has acquired six IBX centers, expanding total capacity by 50 percent in key markets, such as Silicon Valley, Washington, D.C., Chicago and Los Angeles. The company has approximately 560 employees worldwide. This new Chicago IBX center will support a new service specifically targeted to large enterprise deployments, and it will complement the strength of the Equinix Financial eXchange customer base in Equinix’s existing Chicago IBX center.
“Illinois’ economy is incredibly diverse, but Gov. Blagojevich and I understand that we must do everything we can to nurture and support our high tech, cutting edge companies. We’re building an extremely competitive business environment for companies like Equinix, who can put more people to work and pay them well. By investing in companies that are investing in Illinois, we are ensuring that our economic winning streak will continue,” DCEO Director Jack Lavin said.
Gov. Blagojevich’s Opportunity Returns regional economic development strategy is the most aggressive, comprehensive approach to creating jobs in Illinois’ history. Since a one-size-fits-all approach to economic development just doesn’t work, the Governor has divided the state into 10 regions – each with a regional team that is empowered and expected to rapidly respond to opportunities and challenges. Opportunity Returns is about tangible, specific actions to make each region more accessible, more marketable, more entrepreneurial and more attractive to businesses. It is about upgrading the skills of the local workforce, increasing the access to capital, opening new markets, improving infrastructure, and creating and retaining jobs. Opportunity Returns is about successfully partnering with companies and communities, both large and small, to help all of Illinois reach its economic potential.