Although Greenville, South Carolina, Bi-Lo’s former headquarters, produced a fitting incentives package, company executives said the decision to move was made because Jacksonville is centrally located within the now 688-unit chain’s eight-state system. The Jacksonville-based infrastructure was also the best positioned to host the combined Bi-Lo and Winn-Dixie support center, corporate office and distribution facilities.

Bi-Lo CEO Randall Onstead said both states offered generous incentive packages, but he ultimately made the decision to relocate to Jacksonville because of the infrastructure already in place at the former Winn-Dixie headquarters at 5050 Edgewood Court, and the central location of Jacksonville in the eight-state footprint of the now 688-unit chain.

Over 10 years, Bi-Lo hopes to create 100 new high-wage jobs and make a capital investment of about $93 million in Jacksonville. Most of that $93 million will be spent on improving IT equipment at the headquarters and distribution center. Jacksonville had been home to the Fortune 500 company and community philanthropist Winn-Dixie since 1945.