A deal to bring Apple’s center of American operations to Austin, Texas is “in peril,” according to an official in Austin’s Chamber of Commerce. The project would bring 3,600 jobs to the city, but the county continues to try to add new conditions and incentives to the deal.
Dave Porter, the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce’s senior vice president for economic development, told Statesman, an Austin-based newspaper, that “this deal is not done.” He said that the agreement “remains in peril,” and that Apple was growing “frustrated” with the delays.
Most of the 3,600 jobs created would be entry-level positions requiring two years of college or less. Workers would man help desks in what is to be the major center for Apple’s operations in the western hemisphere. The deal would constitute a $304 million investment in the area. The deal, has been endorsed by the city’s mayor and gained initial approval from the Commissioners Court, but after a lengthy debate the county put off a final vote until next week.
Although the new center represents a significant investment in the area by Apple and a source of much-needed jobs, it would also require an outlay of around $35 million over the next ten to fifteen years by various governments, including the state, the city itself, and the county. According to county officials, there were concerns about clauses in the contract that could allow Apple not to meet all of its requirements.