Gov. DeSantis to make ‘major announcement’ Friday at Fidelity National Information Services

Business

Gov. Ron DeSantis will make what his office calls a major announcement Friday at the Fidelity National Information Services Inc. headquarters in Jacksonville.

FIS fits the profile of code-named Sharp, described as an international financial technology services firm. Sharp has pledged to create 500 jobs in Jacksonville and build a 300,000-square-foot office building and parking structure for a $145 million corporate headquarters.

Sharp and government officials are finalizing a $29.9 million city and state-backed incentive package for the project.

According to a media advisory Thursday afternoon, DeSantis will be joined by FIS Chairman, President and CEO Gary Norcross at the 1 p.m. event at 601 Riverside Drive.

Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Executive Director Ken Lawson and Enterprise Florida Inc. President and CEO Jamal Sowell will also attend.

During a visit to Jacksonville in Sept. 16, DeSantis hinted at an FIS expansion in Jacksonville at a JAX Chamber event focused on financial technology workforce training opportunities.

“Mayor, I appreciate all your work here,” DeSantis told Mayor Lenny Curry at the announcement.

“I appreciate a lot of the folks who have worked to bring jobs here. I know I talked with the folks from Fidelity about, you know, their plans to expand here,” DeSantis said.