County Proposes $118,784 Economic Development Grant for Vermeer Southeast

• 25 January 2024
• Category: Economic Development
• Tags: 2024

At the Jan. 16 St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) regular meeting, the BOCC voted 4-1 to approve a motion instructing the County Attorney to draft an economic development grant agreement totaling $118,784 for Vermeer Southeast Sales & Service, Inc. and place the proposed grant agreement for consideration by the BOCC at a later regularly scheduled meeting. The agreement would provide incentives for Vermeer Southeast to bring its regional headquarters and 18 high-wage jobs to St. Johns County. The average annual wage of these jobs would be $69,722, providing $1.75 million annually in labor income for St. Johns County.

“The 260-plus employee-owners at Vermeer Southeast are incredibly excited about relocating our Northeast Florida branch to the vibrant and growing community of St. Johns County,” said Patrick McCollum, Director of Operations at Vermeer Southeast. “This move represents not only a significant milestone in our journey but also reflects the ongoing expansion and vitality of Northeast Florida. We extend sincere appreciation to our dedicated customers, whose trust and support have been instrumental in our growth. We also owe a special thanks to St. Johns County for their exceptional assistance and welcoming spirit, which greatly facilitated this upcoming transition.”

Vermeer Southeast is a construction equipment merchant primarily selling machinery and parts required to conduct vital agricultural and manufacturing operations, as well as sales of associated parts and services. As part of this proposed agreement, Vermeer Southeast plans to build a 32,000-square-foot regional headquarters facility near the intersection of U.S. 1 and International Golf Parkway by the third quarter of 2025.

“We are proud that Vermeer Southeast selected St. Johns County for its regional headquarters location,” said Colin Groff, Deputy County Administrator for St. Johns County. “We look forward to continuing to work with the Vermeer Southeast team as they integrate their operations into the County, creating a positive economic impact for our community.”

Vermeer Southeast anticipates investing approximately $7.7 million into the project, which includes land, building construction, and equipment. Vermeer Southeast’s operations are projected to produce $3.3 million annually in gross county product.

For more information about Vermeer Southeast, visit www.vermeersoutheast.com. Learn more about Economic Development.