Grover Gaming Inc., a software development and design company with offices and distribution facilities in seven U.S. states, will expand its Greenville headquarters, adding 200 positions to its existing North Carolina workforce, Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland announced today. The company will invest $12.5 million in its operations in Pitt County during the coming four years.
“This homegrown North Carolina software enterprise is among the fastest-growing companies in the country, and eastern North Carolina will continue to be host to its corporate headquarters,” Secretary Copeland said. “Grover Gaming’s expansion highlights our well-equipped workforce, livable communities and modern business amenities that appeal to innovation-minded companies.”
Grover Gaming, founded in Greenville in 2013, designs and develops software, game content and gaming systems. Its products are respected throughout the gaming industry for their vivid design, high-resolution graphics and entertaining gameplay. The privately-held company’s rapid growth has led to recognition in the annual Inc. 5000 list for each of the past two years, moving from a rank of #2,660 in 2019 to #194 in 2020. This ranking places Grover Gaming in the top 4 percent of the nation in revenue growth, making it the fastest growing company in eastern North Carolina. Its nationwide workforce of 190 currently includes 126 employees in North Carolina.
“We are excited by this partnership with the State of North Carolina,” said Garrett Blackwelder, Grover Gaming’s Founder and CEO. “Through the hard work of our amazing team, we are experiencing tremendous growth and are in a position to create hundreds of new jobs in eastern North Carolina. It is very encouraging that the State recognizes this growth and is willing to support our expansion in the community that means so much to us.”
The North Carolina Department of Commerce led a collaborative effort to support Grover Gaming’s expanded presence in the state. New positions at the company will include software developers, game designers and artists, project managers, quality assurance engineers, accounting and human resource specialists, and others. New positions will offer salaries that average $50,645 per year, creating an annual payroll impact of nearly $11.2 million for the region. Pitt County’s overall average annual wage is currently $41,008.
Grover Gaming’s North Carolina expansion will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee earlier today. The project is estimated to grow the state’s economy by $466.6 million over the 12-year term of the grant. Using a formula that takes into account the new tax revenues generated by the 200 new jobs, the JDIG agreement authorizes the potential reimbursement to the company of up to $3,476,000 over 12 years.
State payments occur only after verification by the departments of Commerce and Revenue that the company has met incremental job creation and investment targets. Projects supported by JDIG must result in positive net tax revenue to the state treasury after taking into consideration the grant’s reimbursement payments to the recipient company. The provision ensures all North Carolina communities benefit from the JDIG program.
The N.C. Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) joined numerous state and local partners in supporting the project. They include the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, the North Carolina Department of Transportation, the Golden LEAF Foundation, Pitt County, the City of Greenville, the Greenville Utilities Commission, and the Greenville ENC Alliance.