Mayor Taylor: New Hulu service center to bring 500 jobs over next few years

SAN ANTONIO – Video-streaming giant Hulu appears to be coming to San Antonio.

Mayor Ivy Taylor said the California-based company has selected the Alamo City for its Viewer Experience Center.

The deal is not yet concrete. While Taylor said San Antonio has been selected, the city is still in negotiations with Hulu.

Hulu is a video-streaming service that offers full-length movies and TV shows.

Taylor said in a statement that there are “still a few hurdles to cross.”

A county spokeswoman said the county has not yet received a confirmation from the company.

Taylor said Hulu’s arrival will mean 500 new jobs over the next few years. Information about where the new facility will be located or a timeline of events is still under wraps.

KSAT had previously reported that city officials said the deal could translate into 300 jobs in 2017 and up to 500 in the years to follow.

A city spokeswoman said more details may be revealed Thursday.

In the meantime, Taylor said she thinks Hulu is eager to be in the city and she was excited to welcome them to the community.

"They bring great jobs. It's a national brand, and it advances our goals to expand our jobs in technology,” Taylor said.

San Antonio was competing against Albuquerque for the facility. Though it appears Hulu has selected the Alamo City, any incentives used to lure the company still need to be approved.

The Bexar County Commissioners Court plans to vote Tuesday on whether to let its staff begin negotiations with Hulu.

A county spokeswoman said the incentives will be less than Judge Nelson Wolff's original estimate last month of $800,000 in tax abatements.

The city's incentives contract with Hulu goes up for City Council approval next Thursday.

U.S. Rep. Will Hurd issued the following statement:

Hulu coming to San Antonio is a testament to the hard work of the City and County leaders to attract high-paying jobs to the tech community. Hulu realized what we’ve known all along -- San Antonio is a powerhouse of innovation and creativity. This is great news for our community and economy, and I look forward to welcoming Hulu to the Alamo City.

 


About the Authors:

Garrett Brnger is a reporter with KSAT 12.