Roofing firm spurned in Sarasota lands in Tampa

North American Roofing Co., after Sarasota County officials rejected the firm's controversial bid to move to town, has instead decided to relocate its corporate headquarters from Asheville, N.C. to Tampa.

“This means that instead of Sarasota, all those 180 jobs will go to Tampa,” says Rob Sitterley, a site selection executive with Merit Advisors, which worked with North American Roofing on the move. “This is a huge win for Tampa.”

North American Roofing will receive at least $1.2 million in incentives from Florida, Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa, Sitterley told the Business Observer in an interview Tuesday. About $900,000 will come in tax rebates in return for 180 jobs, and about $270,000 is in a training grant. An official announcement on the move is expected to be released later today from Florida Gov. Rick Scott's office. Officials with the Hillsborough County Economic Development Corp. declined to comment in advance of an announcement.