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Commissioners hope a tax incentive plan will help the media research company expand and not leave the county.
By LEON M. TUCKER
© St. Petersburg Times, published August 24, 2000
Pinellas County commissioners have agreed to chip in on a $1.8-million tax refund package that would help Nielsen Media research expand its operations.
The Dunedin company will get $360,000 from the county and the rest from the state to help pay taxes on an expansion project slated to bring 600 more jobs to the area over a five-year term, county records show.
Nielsen would pay $75-million to expand its operations in an unspecified portion of unincorporated Pinellas County. Nielsen and county officials would not say Wednesday whether plans call for shutting down its Dunedin operation.
A fixture in Dunedin for the past 27 years, Nielsen Media employs nearly 2,000 people; it says its running out of room at its Dunedin location.
"Our wish is to be able to stay where we are and to be able to expand where we are, but we have not reached that conclusion," Jack Loftus, vice president of communications for Nielsen Media, said of the company's discussions with Dunedin officials. "We are looking at a lot of different options inside and outside Florida.
"We have made no decision yet," he said, "and will continue to talk to county and state officials."
Loftus would not disclose other locations the company is considering.
County Administrator Fred Marquis sent a letter Tuesday to commissioners outlining the company's proposed project. The plan would seek to create a corporate campus with state-of-the-art computers and make room for 600 additional employees who would be paid an average of $33,000.
Tuesday's vote does not obligate Nielsen to stay in Pinellas County.
"This only qualifies them for the money," Marquis said. "If for whatever reason they may choose to not follow through on it they can make the business decision to do something else."
Nielsen, meanwhile, continues to show interest in acquiring property that abuts its Patricia Avenue headquarters. Time Warner, which owns the property valued at $1.3-million, is in talks with Nielsen and Dunedin city officials about a possible deal.
"Our interest is that we think they have a great location here and we feel we can accommodate them," said Vice Mayor John Doglione. "We're working with Time Warner to help (Nielsen) increase their size and space in that area there."