FanDuel Opening $15M Tech Hub In Midtown Atlanta
An international fantasy sports and sports gambling operator is developing a tech campus in Midtown Atlanta, the latest in a string of companies locating to the area to access the talent coming out of nearby universities and colleges.
FanDuel Group is expected to open a $15M technology campus that will employ more than 900 workers over the next five years, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced Tuesday. A division of British Flutter Entertainment PLC, the campus will focus on product development, tech and IT operations in Atlanta, according to a press release.
The firm will occupy 68K SF in Midtown, according to the release. The state did not identify where FanDuel would develop this campus or what building it was planning to occupy, nor any incentives it would be receiving.
“This center will not only expand the city’s digital media and e-entertainment sectors, but it will also provide new job opportunities for more Atlantans in software development and other promising fields,” Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said in the release.
FanDuel operates a mobile sports betting and fantasy sports betting platform. Lawmakers in Georgia pushed, but failed, to legalize sports betting in the state this session. FanDuel operates sports betting in 10 U.S. states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Colorado.
FanDuel is the latest company to announce a major technology hub in Midtown. Microsoft recently announced plans for a Westside campus and is soon to open offices at Atlantic Station. Google is slated to occupy an office building at Selig Enterprises' 1105 West Peachtree project, and Airbnb recently announced plans for a tech hub in the city as well.
FanDuel Chief Product Officer Sarah Butterfass told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the company selected Atlanta in part because of its diverse talent pool. The company plans to work with local colleges and universities — including the city's concentration of Historically Black Colleges and Universities — to create courses to train students for possible careers with FanDuel, according to the release. The firm also plans to offer résumé-building workshops, mentorship programs and mock interviews as part of a community outreach program.
“We are excited about this opportunity to partner with FanDuel, with the state’s public colleges and universities offering some of the best courses and advanced technology training in the nation to help it thrive in Atlanta and Georgia,” University System of Georgia Chancellor Steve Wrigley said in the release. “A number of institutions within the University System of Georgia are at the forefront of preparing graduates for careers in this dynamic industry, teaching them critical skills that companies need to create jobs and drive Georgia’s economy.”
