Feld to add 200 jobs in Manatee County

ELLENTON — Feld Entertainment plans to move its motor sports division from Illinois to its north Manatee County facility, which would bring 200 jobs.

Feld, which moved its global production headquarters to the county, in Ellenton, in 2013, already employs 408 people at the facility. The company produces shows such as Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey and Disney on Ice at the complex, which has more than 600,000 square feet of production space and corporate offices. Feld Entertainment, in return for 200 jobs over five years, qualified for county and state performance-based incentives totaling $2 million when it consolidated its offices and production space.

“Feld Entertainment has already exceeded its original job creation commitment two years ahead of schedule. With the addition of the motor sports division, the Bradenton area will benefit further from the company's growth,” says Sharon Hillstrom, president and CEO of the Bradenton Area Economic Development Corp., in a statement.

“Although we have a custom-designed facility with room to grow at our Aurora, Ill. facility, teamwork and support from the state of Florida, Manatee County and the Bradenton Area EDC encouraged us to take a harder look at locating the motor sports division with other productions in Ellenton,” says Casey Rodgers, Feld's vice president of finance and strategic planning, in a statement. “The business-friendly climate and talented workforce in the Bradenton area make the location attractive for consolidating more of our operations here.”