Calif. company may bring 700 jobs to ABQ

Customer service business wants $3M, industrial revenue bond from city, state

A California company is considering bringing 700 jobs to Downtown Albuquerque in exchange for $2million from the state’s Local Economic Development Act fund, $1 million from the city’s closing fund and an industrial revenue bond package that functions as a property tax break.

The company is Santa Monica, Calif.-based TaskUs, which provides outsourced customer service for technology companies such as Tinder and MailChimp. If finalized, TaskUs would move into a space at First Plaza, according to a press release from Albuquerque Economic Development.

In a statement, Gov. Susana Martinez said she would be “proud if the company decides to make Albuquerque its next home.”

“We are thrilled that TaskUs is seriously considering downtown Albuquerque for this expansion opportunity, and are hopeful that we will be able to bring this project to fruition,” she said.

The city’s development commission approved the incentive package for the company Thursday. It will come before the City Council in August.

If approved, Albuquerque would act as the fiscal agent for the state LEDA funds.

Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said in a statement that the deal is “a prime example of the type of project we want to invest in.”

The Journal was unable to determine the details of the industrial revenue bond proposal late Friday.

TaskUs has about 12,000 employees worldwide, according to information provided by Albuquerque Economic Development.

The city’s Downtown area has struggled with high vacancy rates for years. According to a recent CBRE analysis, the Downtown vacancy rate for office space was about 25 percent as of the first quarter of this year.