Rumor: Have heard for the past 2 days, credible sources, that Google will be establishing significant new operations in Saint Louis. Supposedly, the announcement is set for Monday. Target number of new jobs is in excess of 500.

Can't fully confirm, but this sounds real. Validate or refute if you can. Good times.

I wonder how legitimate this is.

We'll see in three days!

Between the biz journal and nextSTL, perhaps we can figure this out.

Other than their headquarters, Google lists 17 offices in the United States. They typically locate in an urban (downtown or close) or neo-urban setting (like Reston Town Center). They don't do office parks. In St. Louis--based on the other 17 locations--I might expect them to gravitate toward CORTEX or downtown ... or possibly the Loop or Clayton.

AmirKurtovic wrote: If Google were to come in to St. Louis, I know a bunch of local CIOs would be very scared about seeing their talent walk out.

That was my thought. Local IT managers will be soiling themselves at the thought of top employees leaving as well as the effect it will have on salaries.

As much as I want to believe it and want it to happen, I'm reserved about this, however, Google was in town in April at an event held at McKelvey's glass factory. Perhaps it was a good networking event.

McCaskill Teams up with Google on Small Business Workshop in St. Louis
Senator: Google’s event on April 12 aimed at boosting jobs by allowing Missouri businesses to stay one step ahead of the competition

March 28, 2013

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill will team up with web giant Google as the company holds a small business workshop in St. Louis focused on how to ensure Missouri's businesses are maximizing their online opportunities.

"The perception that getting online is complex, costly and time-consuming has prevented many Missouri small businesses from taking the first step," said Scott Levitan, Director of Small Business Engagement at Google. "This program makes it fast, easy and free for businesses to get online."

"Missouri is home to some of the most innovative, hardworking business owners in the country, and events like this allow them to sharpen that advantage," McCaskill said. "Google has made the smart decision to invest in Missouri-an investment that will help promote job creation and business growth for our state."

The day-long workshop will begin the morning of Friday, April 12, at the Third Degree Glass Factory in downtown St. Louis. The event is expected to draw over one hundred small businesses from the St. Louis region throughout the day. McCaskill will help kick off the events that morning.

Source

^If true, maybe they would plant roots then potentially grow UP TO 500 jobs? This is how they have done in places such as Pittsburgh and Los Angeles - gradual build-ups. Yet, Google is adding thousands of jobs in Silicon Valley, plus they are building a new HQs out there.

A small initial office of 20 in St. Louis would be a great start.

We'll see.

As with basically any jobs announcement there's no way 500 are announced - maybe as a goal in a couple years. Still, it'd be big.

There's no feasible chance for 500 jobs all at once. I'll be blunt, St. Louis is behind the national scene when it comes to IT professionals. There isn't a huge surplus of available top notch IT professionals for companies to pick Stl over Phoenix or Dallas...you will see lots of companies slowly try to build up in Stl but not one try to immediately start off from scratch with a new hub.

sirshankalot wrote:Anything going on here?

Rumor has it we're all getting together at 4 o'clock downtown to either drink a couple pints in celebration or throw Gone Corporate in the river. Stay tuned.

roger wyoming II wrote:

sirshankalot wrote:Anything going on here?

Rumor has it we're all getting together at 4 o'clock downtown to either drink a couple pints in celebration or throw Gone Corporate in the river. Stay tuned.

Really wish I could join!

roger wyoming II wrote:

sirshankalot wrote:Anything going on here?

Rumor has it we're all getting together at 4 o'clock downtown to either drink a couple pints in celebration or throw Gone Corporate in the river. Stay tuned.

Crap. I don't think my desk chair can also be used as a flotation device... By and large, I solidly believe in my sources, the primary one being a person identifiable by multiple readers here. Having revealed one of these sources to other readers of this site, who gave their tacit validation to his/her good word, I'm content. If anyone can validate or refute what I wrote, please do so. And Roger, should this come to pass, pass me one of those pints, preferably a Guinness.

GC, anything else you can share with us?? Is your faith wavering?

Is it time to throw you into the river yet? /joking