Metairie-based Smoothie King may have once again set its sights on the Dallas-Fort Worth area for a relocation of its corporate headquarters, according to separate media reports.
Citing multiple real estate sources, the Dallas Business Journal reports the long-time Louisiana company is moving forward with plans to build out 20,000 square feet of office space in a soon-to-be completed building at new development called The Sound at Cypress Waters.
Smoothie King executives deny the report, but New Orleans-based WWL-TV reports that a source connected with the company has confirmed a possible move is in the works. Moreover, WWL reports Smoothie King’s corporate communications group acknowledged in a statement that it’s “considering options” and would provide more details on the “exploratory process” once it can legally do so.
This isn’t the first time Smoothie King has eyed Texas as a possible new home.
In 2012, Louisiana Economic Development gave Smoothie King—which has more than 900 locations in the U.S., Singapore, Cayman Islands and Korea—a $2.4 million incentive deal to drop plans to move from Louisiana to Texas. The deal required the company to stay in Louisiana for at least five years. It expires at the end of this year.
LED, GNO Inc. and Jefferson Parish Economic Development Co. tell WWL they are trying to convince Smoothie King to stay.
“Five years ago, the state, region and parish teams all worked together to retain Smoothie King, a deeply valued home-grown company,” GNO President and CEO Michael Hecht says in a statement. “Going forward, we will explore every avenue to ensure that Smoothie King continues to grow and prosper in Louisiana.”
