{"id":55633,"date":"2025-11-21T16:35:06","date_gmt":"2025-11-21T16:35:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/55633\/"},"modified":"2025-11-21T16:35:06","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T16:35:06","slug":"tampa-a-prime-landing-spot-for-companies-fleeing-high-tax-states","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/55633\/","title":{"rendered":"Tampa a prime landing spot for companies fleeing high tax states"},"content":{"rendered":"

New data<\/a> shows the Sun Belt office market gaining strength again and Tampa is one of the biggest winners. Major real estate owners<\/a> are reporting sharp increases in leasing as companies continue to move out of high-tax states and into growth markets across the South.<\/p>\n

What happened<\/p>\n

Cousins Properties, a large Sun Belt-focused REIT, reported<\/a> a major jump in office leasing in the third quarter. The company closed 40 leases totaling 551,000 square feet with an average term of 9.4 years. Leasing volume was 65% higher than the previous quarter. Dallas and Tampa saw the strongest rent gains.<\/p>\n

Highwoods Properties also reported<\/a> strong demand. The company said Dallas was the busiest market, with Charlotte and Raleigh not far behind. Tampa continued to attract firms seeking updated space and competitive rates.<\/p>\n

RELATED: Tampa multifamily market outperforms Sun Belt in new Q3 report<\/a><\/p>\n

Piedmont Realty Trust reported<\/a> more tenants looking for high-quality space that does not come with coastal price points. The company said the Sun Belt is attracting firms seeking modern space at lower cost.<\/p>\n

Across the region, the same trend keeps appearing. Companies are moving south for affordability, talent and business climate advantages. Tampa is benefiting from each of these factors.<\/p>\n

Tampa examples<\/p>\n

Several recent decisions show why Tampa is gaining momentum.<\/p>\n

Wagamama moved its U.S. headquarters<\/a> from New York to Tampa to support national expansion. The company selected a new office on North Westshore Boulevard and said Tampa\u2019s talent pool will help with hiring.<\/p>\n

Orion Edge, a Colorado defense contractor, relocated its headquarters to Tampa<\/a> and committed $20 million in investment. The company cited Tampa\u2019s proximity to U.S. Special Operations Command and the region\u2019s strong business environment.<\/p>\n

LGE Design Build chose Tampa for its East Coast hub<\/a>. The company entered the Florida market with nearly 500,000 square feet of logistics and industrial projects already under contract.<\/p>\n

READ: Major Westshore Business District property sold to major developer<\/a><\/p>\n

The Tampa Bay Economic Development Council also closed 29 projects in the most recent fiscal year<\/a>. These wins will create 2,280 jobs and generate more than $273 million in capital investment across Hillsborough County. The EDC also launched its Future Ready plan to strengthen business development, talent development and place-based development.<\/p>\n

Each move reinforces Tampa\u2019s growing role as a hub for companies that want modern space, competitive costs and access to talent.<\/p>\n

Why this matters<\/p>\n

Tampa has become a top destination for firms moving south. The city offers lower costs than major coastal markets, a strong workforce and modern office options. These strengths are driving more relocation activity and helping support local office demand.<\/p>\n

Industry leaders say companies in technology, finance, defense and design-build are driving much of the shift. These sectors continue to seek quality space that supports hybrid work and long-term growth.<\/p>\n

Tampa\u2019s growing roster of corporate wins shows the city is part of a larger national trend reshaping the office market.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s next<\/p>\n

Leasing activity should stay strong through 2026 as more companies evaluate relocation and expansion in Florida. Key signs to watch include new project announcements, net absorption and out-of-state tenant tours.<\/p>\n

READ: Fresh Kitchen announces biggest menu changes in 11 Years<\/a><\/p>\n

If migration stays strong, Tampa could be one of the top-performing Sun Belt office markets next year.<\/p>\n

Takeaway<\/p>\n

Companies are moving south for cost savings and talent. Tampa continues to stand out as a top choice. Recent relocations and rising leasing demand show the region has strong momentum and is positioned for another year of growth.<\/p>\n

Stay Connected<\/p>\n

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Read More TBBW stories<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"New data shows the Sun Belt office market gaining strength again and Tampa is one of the biggest…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":55634,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[34620,5751,34621,178,34622,34623,34624,34625,135,27203,137,136,33150,34626],"class_list":{"0":"post-55633","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tampa","8":"tag-business-climate","9":"tag-business-relocation","10":"tag-corporate-moves","11":"tag-economic-growth","12":"tag-investment-activity","13":"tag-office-demand","14":"tag-regional-economy","15":"tag-sun-belt-markets","16":"tag-tampa","17":"tag-tampa-companies","18":"tag-tampa-headlines","19":"tag-tampa-news","20":"tag-tbbws-top-stories","21":"tag-workforce-trends"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55633","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55633"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55633\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/55634"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55633"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55633"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55633"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}