County pays up to lure marketing firm

Sarasota County commissioners approved a $144,000 jobs performance-based incentive package to lure a digital marketing company to relocate to town — and choose Sarasota over Boca Raton.

The company isn’t named in public documents, and the financial agreement is listed under the codename Project Polish. The company, according to a memo from Sarasota County Business and Economic Development Director Jeff Maultsby, recently signed a long-term contract with the largest flooring manufacturer in the world. The contract, the memo states, is to supply websites and digital marketing services to 2,500 of their top flooring retailers.

“Due to this contract, the company must hire more staff and move out of their current location,” states Maultsby in the memo. “The company has found several advantages to relocating its business to Sarasota County, including incentives, and is also considering Boca Raton. The company is looking for financial support from Sarasota County to help make the final decision.”

The company has committed to hiring 72 full-time employees over five years, with an average starting wage of $40,621 — 100% of the average annual MSA wage, the memo states. The company also plans a $50,000 capital investment locally, and all its sales would be generated outside Sarasota County. The $144,000 subsidy represents $2,000 per job, and the funds would be disbursed over an eight-year period.