Company's expansion on Virginia's Peninsula will create 700 new jobs, $14.6 million investment
Richmond - Governor Jim Gilmore today announced that Nextel Communications will locate a new technical and customer support operations center in the City of Hampton. Nextel intends to hire 700 employees through a $14.6 million investment. Virginia successfully competed with North Carolina for the investment.
"Nextel’s choice to locate in Hampton Roads makes Virginia home to yet another company whose products and services are among the most advanced in the new economy," Governor Gilmore said. "I’m committed to keeping Virginia a global technology leader. Nextel’s wireless products and services cement that role further."
Nextel is headquartered in Reston and currently has a nationwide employee base of more than 9,600. Nextel is the nation’s largest provider of fully integrated all-digital wireless services and provides wireless communications services to 92 of the top 100 U.S. markets.
"Nextel has selected the Hampton Roads area to locate our new facility because of its good demographics and central location for staffing a high quality customer care center," area president for Nextel’s Mid-South region Scott Hoganson said.
"This new facility will provide many exciting employment opportunities for the Commonwealth’s telecommunications professionals," Secretary of Trade and Commerce Barry E. DuVal said. "We are thrilled to see such success from a Virginia-based company."
Governor Gilmore approved a $500,000 grant from the Governor’s Opportunity Fund to assist Hampton with site preparation for Nextel. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the City of Hampton and the Peninsula Alliance for Economic Development assisted the company with its decision. The Virginia Department of Business Assistance will provide workforce-training services.
"We are extremely pleased with how all the public and private entities cooperated to bring this telecommunications giant to Hampton," Hampton Mayor Joseph H. Spencer II said. "The more than $14 million investment in our premier business park with 700 new jobs at salaries averaging $25,000 a year is not only good news but excellent news to both Hampton and the Commonwealth."
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