Kenney will try to entice suburban businesses to Philly

Mayor Kenney wants to entice suburban companies to move to Philadelphia by offering up to $30,000 in rent reimbursement.

Called Gateway Philly, the new program sponsored by the city's Department of Commerce wants businesses that have no office in Philadelphia to give the city a one-year try. The hope is that businesses will want to keep office space here permanently.

"There are many benefits to having an office in Philadelphia, and we want to help companies explore the positive effects they would see with a city location," Kenney said in a statement. "Gateway Philly is designed to give businesses access to the best Philadelphia has to offer, to serve as a gateway to talent, innovation and collaboration."

Kenney will announce the program at a noon news conference Tuesday.

To qualify for the incentive, businesses must sign a one-year lease for a minimum of 20 employees. Once the lease is over, the Commerce Department will reimburse businesses $1,000 per employee up to $30,000 total.

The department's budget for the program is $500,000, which could allow 16 to 25 companies, depending on how many employees the business locates in Philadelphia, said Lauren Cox, a spokeswoman for the Commerce Department.

The city is encouraging businesses to sign up with the various co-working locations around town. Businesses can split their employees among several office spaces and still qualify for the rent reimbursement, Cox said.

"We hope Gateway Philly will provide businesses with a low-risk opportunity to evaluate if a long-term commitment is suitable for their company," Commerce Director Harold T. Epps said in a statement.