Sterling Jewelers and FirstEnergy each employ about 2,300 people in the city of Akron and both could have moved their headquarters outside the city limits - or even out of state. Instead FirstEnergy is building a new campus just within the city limits and selling one of its buildings to allow Sterling to expand. FirstEnergy Vice President Dick Grigg.
Grigg says the electric company has been overcrowded downtown and now will have space to add more employees there. Sterling is the largest specialty jeweler in the country, owning a dozen brands.
Spokesman David Brouffard says Sterling expects to double the number of stores in the next four years and the credit and distribution center in Akron will likely get more jobs. Akron mayor Don Plusquellic says keeping both companies in Akron is huge.
The city will help out spending about $5.5 million on infrastructure improvements.