Florida Chamber says nationwide firms flock to Sunshine State after viral billboard
After a Times Square ad naming New York City’s mayor as “Economic Developer of the Year,” the Florida Chamber reports a surge of interest from companies across the U.S. looking to relocate to Florida.
Two weeks after the Florida Chamber of Commerce placed a Times Square billboard that crowned New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani as “Economic Developer of the Year,” the organization says it has been inundated with outreach from businesses nationwide. President and CEO Mark Wilson told one outlet that firms from Washington, California, Illinois and multiple New York locales, including a Rochester-based tech company, are weighing relocation to Florida’s “land of opportunity.”
The Chamber’s “Free Enterprise” campaign page saw traffic rise by 500-600%, and it now receives five to seven daily contacts from site selectors and public officials. Wilson contrasted Florida’s no-income-tax environment and lower housing costs with New York’s growing budget and tax pressures, especially for skilled tradespeople. He dismissed the notion that the effort is partisan, positioning it as a national conversation about economic freedom. The Chamber also hinted at future billboard placements in states such as New Jersey, California, Minnesota and Washington.
Why it matters
The story shows how a political ad can influence corporate relocation decisions and fuel debate over tax policy.
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