Thought I would bump this up again too and discuss who will fill the vacated Devon building.

Some interesting information at Steve's blog.

http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/

virtually every state we compete against has similar incentives.

Yep. The incentive game is really one you have to play these days just to be on a level playing field. Everyone is doing it and you can't come up with one that can't be done elsewhere. At the end of the day, you have to have a place people where want to live, first and foremost. For many companies it's just as important, if not more important, that they can recruit nationally, and even internationally, for the top talent. Location is a VERY important recruiting tool and it is often times as big of a factor as pay when people are deciding where to take a job. When you're talking headquarters, you're talking about graduate degrees. So, you need a place where highly educated workers want to live above everything else. This is why so many top companies have no problem locating in the most expensive places with the most expensive costs of doing businesses, even when there are no incentives to do so. It's all about the pulling power a location has for top talent to run their company.

Thought I would bump this up again too and discuss who will fill the vacated Devon building.

Some interesting information at Steve's blog.

OKC Central - Information about Oklahoma City, Bricktown and beyond (http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/)

How many threads are you going to post the same thing in? We've now got this discussion going on in at least 3 different threads, one of which is already dedicated specifically to this topic.

Dubai corporate tax rate: 0%
Hong Kong corporate tax rate (Pre-china takeover): 0%

Enough said.

Yeah but that's not how it works in the United States. Europe's taxes might as well be that too, since apparently nobody in Europe pays their taxes either. Taxes must truly be an "American" thing I suppose.

The reality is that education is more telling than taxes. Look at all the corporations in North Carolina, California, Minnesota, New York, hell even Iowa...compared to Oklahoma, Mississippi, Alabama, and your other worst states for education.

On a different note, I would look for OKC-based PayCom to be our next big company. Gotta support the local born and bred ones, too.

Just because they don't pay one type of tax doesn't mean they don't pay taxes.

Tax burdens by countries (and states).

Tax Burden by Country - Country Ranks 2009 (http://www.photius.com/rankings/tax_burden_country_ranks_2009.html)

Read that Paycom plans to add 400 jobs in new Okc/Piedmont offices.

NewsOK (http://m.newsok.com/s?s=16&a=3460690&f=business)

I'd love to see us get a Costco or 2.

Read that Paycom plans to add 400 jobs in new Okc/Piedmont offices.

NewsOK (http://m.newsok.com/s?s=16&a=3460690&f=business)

Yeah, it's just too bad they choose far far NW OKC in the farthest NW corner of the City, as did Farmers and AAA. Maybe PayCom could be lured into the inner core with incentives, as I don't believe they've broken ground yet.

Read that Paycom plans to add 400 jobs in new Okc/Piedmont offices.

NewsOK (http://m.newsok.com/s?s=16&a=3460690&f=business)

Piedmont?

Possibly Chaparral Energy. They are already bigger than most know.

Piedmont?

Yes he was using artistic license, but it is darn close to Piedmont where their new offices on far west Memorial will be. Much closer to Piedmont than Quail Springs Mall.

This is more in response to Steve's article. What about luring Williams Sonoma here? The CEO and CFO are Oklahomans.

Which schools did they go to?

Looks like he went to OU, but he gives a ton to UC Berkeley.

This is more in response to Steve's article. What about luring Williams Sonoma here? The CEO and CFO are Oklahomans.

You realize we have had a Williams Sonoma for years in Penn Square? They even expanded it last year.

I know they're not an OKC company per say, but Continental Resources out of Enid could easliy become a big player in the oil and gas business. This is the company owned by Harold Hamm, who is one of the wealthiest people in the nation in terms of cash on hand. I've also heard rumbles that during the boom (up until late 2008) they were having difficulty getting highly skilled workers to move to Enid, not that its a bad small town or anything. Someone I know who does business with them as a contractor has said even though Hamm is a bigtime Enid booster, the company long term has left open the possibility of moving to OKC.

How many would you say that CR employs at their Enid offices?

About 200-300 at their Enid headquarters.

Again, that was just something I've heard from one of their contractors. I doubt they would do anything as expensive as rooting up their headquarters in this time of depressed gas prices, but it could be possible in the future if things start turning up.

You realize we have had a Williams Sonoma for years in Penn Square? They even expanded it last year.

You realize we're talking about company HQ's here, not individual stores?

Yes, but I guess my brain was sidetracked with the Chesapeake speculation thread. I'd love to lure WS HQ here but I don't see them moving out of the Bay Area, it and the surrounding Napa Valley, etc. are the culinary capital of America. We have their call center here and that's as much as we'll probably get.

I am working on bringing a start-up company World HQ to OKC, along with one of it's strategic partner affiliates. Both have great potential. We hope IT is the next big company. :Smiley208

These are technology and logistics companies and would be good for OKC. We chose OKC over LA. It was a no brainer.

You realize we have had a Williams Sonoma for years in Penn Square? They even expanded it last year.

The headquarters, silly.

I am working on bringing a start-up company World HQ to OKC, along with one of it's strategic partner affiliates. Both have great potential. We hope IT is the next big company. :Smiley208

These are technology and logistics companies and would be good for OKC. We chose OKC over LA. It was a no brainer.

This sounds great. When do you expect the relocation?

3rd Q this year if everything goes well.