Why Tampa? The Amgen story

Biotech giant Amgen had lots of choices on where to open a new office.

The Thousand Oaks, Calif.-based firm, which specializes in drugs used to treat serious, life-threatening illnesses, such as heart disease and some cancers, sought a back-office support facility, what it dubbed a capability center.

Amgen Executive Director Michael Frankel, a former Molson Coors Brewing Co. executive, says the company evaluated more than 400 cities in its search. Frankel, speaking at the ULI Tampa Bay Trends Conference in late January, detailed why Amgen, with offices in nearly 100 countries and more than 20,000 employees, picked Tampa. The company's $25 million facility, he says, will eventually employ up to 425 people.