Virgin Mobile Makes KC Its Headquarters

     Kansas City is now home to another big name in telecom: Virgin Mobile announced today that it would consolidate bicoastal operations, with its U.S. headquarters coming Downtown to One Kansas City Place, where the company plans to hire up to 100 people.
     “Kansas City is a national hub of entrepreneurial spirit and sophisticated start-ups, which is the perfect backdrop for our new office as we evolve the Virgin Mobile brand and elevate it to new heights,” Dow Draper, the company’s CEO, said in a news release announcing the move. “Also, this innovation district is a natural setting for a bold brand like Virgin, which does things differently and changes business for good.”
     Virgin Mobile already has a temporary office in the building at 12th and Main, and has begun renovation of nearly 11,000 square feet on a separate floor. The company expects to move in when construction concludes by summer 2017.
       Virgin Mobile currently has 27 full-time employees in marketing, technology, operations, leadership and customer service roles, and plans to hire 33 more by summer.   As part of negotiations to bring the company to Kansas City, the state of Missouri agreed to grant up to $1.87 million in incentives through its Missouri Works program if the company creates 84 new jobs over the next five years.