Wendy's Co. will move its company headquarters to Dublin, Ohio, lured from Atlanta by $12 million in economic incentives and a chance to return to its historic home.
Dublin and Ohio offered combined long-term incentives to help Wendy's with a huge renovation of the company's new headquarters. Dublin will provide $8 million and the state $4 million, which is tied to investment and job growth targets over the next 10 to 15 years.
The Wendy's connection to Ohio dates back to 1969, when Dave Thomas opened the first Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers restaurant in Columbus.
Wendy's did not seek incentives from Georgia or Atlanta-area municipalities in settling on a location for its headquarters, spokesman Bob Bertini said. In 2008, the company received support from the state and Fulton County's Development Authority for job creation and capital improvements.
Between 35 and 45 jobs in Atlanta will be eliminated, while Wendy's will add about 50 new positions in Dublin, where it will directly employ 440 people.
Wendy's plans an $11 million renovation project over the next two years to transform One Dave Thomas Boulevard into a more modern corporate office. The Ohio support was "a major factor in Wendy's decision to pursue the project," the company said in a statement.
The arrangement between Wendy's and Atlanta was an odd one, even before the company sold its Arby's brand earlier this summer. The brand's headquarters remained in Dublin after the 2008 merger with Arby's, even as the parent company, Wendy's/Arby's Group, established itself in Atlanta.
Wendy's Co. said it plans to keep a sizable team in Atlanta. About 200 employees in information technology, accounting, tax and international operations will occupy three floors at 1155 Perimeter Center W. Wendy's had been headquartered there since 2008. Moving those employees to Ohio would have been too costly, Bertini said.
"We'll maintain a significant presence in Atlanta," he said.
Bertini said between 120 and 130 Arby's employees are transferring to Atlanta-based private equity firm Roark Capital Group, which purchased Arby's this summer.
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