SARASOTA, Fla. — Toronto-based video platform Rumble announced it has signed a five-year lease for property in Longboat Key in Sarasota County to set up its new U.S. headquarters.
Rumble has an average of more than 40 million monthly users and has grown in popularity predominantly among conservative viewers. The company said it plans to invest more than $50 million in the state of Florida over the next several years.
The company is expected to create 165 new tech jobs at the 8,400-square-foot facility in Sarasota County. Forty-one of the jobs will be management positions and pay an average salary of $170,000. Another 124 non-management jobs will pay an average of $80,000 per year.
The Sarasota County Commission also voted to give an $825,000 economic development incentive grant to the video platform.
"Moving to Longboat Key is a win-win for Rumble and the Sarasota community," Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski said in a statement.
The company said it plans to fill 20-25 of the new positions immediately with the rest of the hires coming soon.
"This move positions us to continue providing a platform to content creators without the threats from big tech monopolies. We are excited to invest in Florida in the coming years while we continue to grow Rumble," Pavlovski added.
In a statement, Gov. Ron DeSantis said he's "thrilled" to welcome Rumble to Sarasota County as the state supports the company's "mission to promote free expression and stand up to Big Tech censorship."
The governor has been an outspoken critic of "big tech" companies. In May, he signed a bill into law that would allow the state to fine social media companies if they de-platformed or censored political candidates. It was temporarily blocked by a federal judge before it went into effect.
"Over the past year, we have seen businesses flock to Florida from across the country because, as long as I am governor, our state will be free and built for opportunity. We wish Rumble all the best in their endeavors in Florida, and we look forward to watching their success," DeSantis said.
Rumble's leaders said discussions with local officials and stakeholders led them to choose Sarasota County, adding that the area has a friendly business climate and is located close to Tampa — one of the fastest-growing tech cities in America.
The company has already started doing business in the Sunshine State. Just last month, Rumble announced the smaller Florida-based content creation platform Locals.
“We are building the rails to a new tech ecosystem that will responsibly free everyone from the restraints of editorial control,” Pavlovski said in a statement announcing the acquisition.
“Locals will provide our Rumble users a new way to generate revenue, one that is not influenced by corporate advertisers and special interests. All our creators can now build a direct stream of revenue with their audience through subscriptions, allowing creators to take control of their valuable content.”