 |
Muzak's on the move to South Carolina
Wednesday, November 24, 1999
POST-INTELLIGENCER STAFF and NEWS SERVICES
Seattle has had a reputation for its music, from grunge to Kenny G.
But it's also had the dubious distinction as the capital of "elevator music."
For a dozen years, Seattle has been home to Muzak Corp., the nation's leading purveyor of "programmed music."
But no longer.
After months of negotiations, York County in South Carolina is to become corporate headquarters of Muzak.
The Seattle-based company has signed a letter of intent with Charlotte, N.C., developer Crescent Resources to build its headquarters in Lakemont Business Park in Fort Mill, S.C.
The company will start construction when the county approves a tax-incentive package -- likely within two weeks -- Muzak Chief Executive Bill Boyd said.
The building is not designed yet, "but it will be 100,000 square feet, and we should start clearing and grading within the next couple of weeks if everything is approved," said Boyd.
The move initially will bring 20 executives from Seattle with a promise of hiring the bulk of its 300 workers locally. Boyd said the company could move into its new building as early as July.
Muzak employed 200 people in its Seattle headquarters as recently as last February, when it was acquired by Audio Communications Network of Orlando, Fla.
The company moved to Seattle in 1987 when it was merged with Yesco, a local company.
It had been owned since 1992 by Centre Partners Managements LLC, a New York private investment company, and ABRY Broadcast Partners III LP of Boston. Audio paid $250 million for the company in February, assumed its debt and changed its name to Muzak LLC.
Although its name has become a cultural synonym for a bland flavor of background music, Muzak today offers more than 60 channels of music distributed by satellite, as well as customized services and a compact disc library of 450 "lifestyle programs" that offices and stores can use.
The company says it has about 250,000 subscribers.
· Dow finishes below 10,000
· Boeing shares reel as long strike is feared
· Microsoft aims to ease interaction in SQL Server data
· Jones Soda lays off 42 workers, 6 in Seattle
· Precision Castparts to buy Fatigue Technology
· RealNetworks pulls DVD-copying software
· Starbucks faces another labor board complaint
· WaMu's demise will be costly to region
· Higher prices boost state's crop values
· Drug results boost Dendreon stock
· Congress opens financial collapse inquiry
· Battling companies agree to standstill over Wachovia
more
101 Elliott Ave. W.
Seattle, WA 98119
(206) 448-8000
Home Delivery: (206) 464-2121 or (800) 542-0820
seattlepi.com serves about 1.7 million unique visitors
and 30 million page views each month.
Send comments to newmedia@seattlepi.com
Send investigative tips to iteam@seattlepi.com
©1996-2008 Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Terms of Use/Privacy Policy
