Scott lauds move to Boca by Orangetheory Fitness
Some of the state’s biggest heavyweights came toOrangetheory Fitness in Boca Raton on Wednesday, but theyweren’t looking to burn calories.
Instead, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, Senate President JoeNegron and three Boca council members came to celebrate the fitness franchise for relocating its headquarters into the city.
It didn’t matter that the companymoved from neighboring Fort Lauderdale last fall.
“Iwant this to be the state where everyone can get a job,” Scott said. “Boca is one of the nicest places to live in the state.”
The companymoved because it was outgrowing the Fort Lauderdale space itwas renting. Executives alsowanted to own their building.
“We like our new headquarters building, andwe are very happywe chose Boca Raton as our home,” presidentDavid Carney said of the $14 million facility at 6000 Broken Sound Parkway.
The company has rapidly expanded since it first started in 2007. It franchises more than 750workout studiosworldwide and about 35 have sprung up throughout South Florida in recent years. Carney said the company has opened about 25 studios per month in the last year and hopes to keep up that pace.
“Orangetheory is a good company, andwe’re sorry to see them leave,” said Fort LauderdaleMayor John Seiler. “It’s just the nature of the market that these companies are going to look for the incentives.”
Over the past seven years, Boca has poured about $4.3 million into its corporate incentives program.
The city two years ago hired Jessica Del Vecchio as its first economic development manager and she has since brought about18 companies to Boca. Earlier this year, her department also published an inventory of about 300 office, retail and industrial buildings ready for new companies to move into.
achokey@sun-sentinel.com, 561-243-6531, Twitter @aric_chokey