The campus will be located near Raleigh, North Carolina.
A new report examines Apple’s very slow progress on the North Carolina campus, which was announced more than two years ago, and makes it unclear why Apple is dragging its feet.
Advertisement
The Wake County, North Carolina campus was rumored as early as 2018, but was announced in April 2021. Since then, Apple has made small investments in the project instead of the expected large and rapid leaps.
“Proceedings have been very slow on the applicant’s side,” a Wake County spokesman told The News & Observer on Thursday. “I thought it would be much further.”
This contrasts with the Austin, Texas plant. After announcing in 2018 that it would build a second campus in the area, the company began operations within a month of signing the deal. And the expansion of this facility has already begun.
Apple’s North Carolina plan is big
The proposed Triangle campus will span 281 acres when completed. It will include commercial offices, parking, streets and a central utility facility.
Advertisement
The campus, built on four undeveloped forested lots near Cary and Morrisville, is expected to cost $552 million. Apple requested about 700,000 square feet for office space, another 190,000 square feet for support structures and nearly 3,000 square feet for parking.
The initial phase of construction will include six buildings, with more likely to be added in the future.
In May 2023, a collection of site plans was sent to Wake County, which included a map.
Apple has committed to employing at least 2,700 people on the campus over the next decade, with that figure eventually expected to increase to 3,000. Starting in 2021, Apple leases an office building on MetLife’s Cary campus.
The company has an agreement with the government for a Job Development Investment Grant that could provide Apple with more than $845 million in payroll tax credits through 2061, provided the company meets its hiring and investment goals. Apple’s failure to create at least 126 new jobs in the state by the end of 2023 could result in the company losing eligibility for government benefits.
It’s unclear how many Apple employees are currently on staff. The company currently leases office space, and hiring volumes do not depend on the facility being built.
Apple’s investment commitments to the state totaling $905.4 million include construction of a new facility in Wake County and an expansion of Apple’s data center in Catawba County. Apple is not required to fulfill this investment commitment until the end of 2031 to avoid defaulting on the grant.
The company already operates a data center in the state, has solar farms and several Apple Stores.