Calling All
Computer Geeks!
Maybe you were teased as a kid for being a know-it-all or had
one too many dateless weekends. Perhaps you just have a desire to save
the world's computers from trouble. Well, Kentucky's newest community,
Geek Squad City, may be the perfect place for you.
On May 8, Governor Ernie Fletcher and Secretary Gene Strong
welcomed the addition of Geek Squad, the nation's leading computer support task
force and Best Buy subsidiary, to Bullitt County. Called Geek Squad City, the
site is expected to create up to 550 new full-time jobs this year.
"Geek Squad's decision to locate its largest computer repair
facility in Hillview is a major win for Kentucky and is a strong indication of
Kentucky's strengths in attracting high-caliber companies and investment," said
Secretary Gene Strong. "This project will be a tremendous asset for the
community and all of Kentucky."
Geek Squad is the first national 24-Hour Computer Support Task
Force®, assisting millions of customers annually with computer set-up,
training, installs, repairs and related services. The new Hillview
facility will be the largest single Geek Squad computer repair site anywhere in
the world. A 165,000-square-foot site will house hundreds of Geek Squad
Agents and support personnel who will focus solely on repairing any brand of PC
or laptop for customers around the country.
"Our mission is to serve the public, police technology and
protect the world," said Wes Snyder, newly appointed mayor of Geek Squad City.
"The fine people of Kentucky have helped Geek Squad take a giant leap toward
achieving this goal by supporting the creation of a nerve center for fixing
unruly computers. We will immediately begin recruiting the best and the
brightest to join our elite tactical unit of agents and other city residents."
The community's spirit and heritage, coupled with access to
overnight air service and a population that is large enough to support the
facility's technical labor needs played major roles in Geek Squad's decision to
locate in Bullitt County. The company also desired real estate that could
support its growing operations.
"We are very excited to have Best Buy's computer repair center
locate in Hillview. It is like hitting a home run with the bases loaded
for Bullitt County," said Bob Fouts, Director of the Bullitt County Economic
Development Authority. This high-tech company will bring a large number of
skilled jobs to Hillview and the region. We are proud to have them join
our growing corporate community."
The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA)
preliminarily approved Best Buy Stores for tax benefits up to $9.3 million
under the Kentucky Jobs Development Act (KJDA), an incentive program designed
to attract and expand service- and technology-related industries and
employment.
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