Airbnb has ended its search for an east coast city to open a “technical hub” announcing Thursday that the vacation rental online marketplace company had selected Atlanta for the project.
Airbnb’s criteria for the site included a city with “leaders committed to expanding economic empowerment,” one that is “open and friendly,” a city in a state with a “robust and diverse technical talent pool,” a city that has a “robust creative and curious culture that attracts a community of creators,” and a city “that people want to call their long-term home in state offering all kinds of natural amenities.”
“While many cities fit this description, Atlanta emerged as the city that aligned with what we are looking for in a technical hub,” the company said. “In particular, one of the things that stood out about Atlanta was its strong educational infrastructure when it comes to teaching the next generation of engineers, including educational institutions committed to specifically supporting communities of color. And at the end of 2019 we made a decision to move forward with establishing a technical hub in Atlanta.”
Airbnb’s technical hub in the City of Atlanta is the company’s “first step” in a broader commitment to a long-term presence in the area. The hub will be home to one of the company’s product development teams, as well as a variety of others.
While an exact location for the technical hub has not been disclosed, Airbnb plans to “establish a physical space” in Atlanta later this year. “If any economic incentives or credits are associated with the location, Airbnb will donate them back to the City of Atlanta for community impact initiatives,” the company said.
“Atlanta is the South’s shining star and our prosperity depends on cultivating a diverse company base that brings jobs and creates opportunities for our residents,” Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said. “We welcome Airbnb to Atlanta and look forward to working with them to build a pipeline of good quality jobs for our local workforce. ”
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Wow, kinda nice that Atlanta met so many of their needs. Very complimentary!
Guess the city council better reconsider banning short-term rentals in the city…