{"id":1754,"date":"2026-05-04T19:53:08","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T19:53:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/1754\/"},"modified":"2026-05-04T19:53:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T19:53:08","slug":"osceola-finalizes-470m-deal-with-south-korean-tech-firm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/1754\/","title":{"rendered":"Osceola finalizes $470M deal with South Korean tech firm"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Osceola Commissioners on Monday unanimously approved a development agreement with South Korean firm, <a href=\"https:\/\/elohiminc.com\/\" data-mrf-link=\"https:\/\/elohiminc.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">ELSPES<\/a>, to build its global headquarters and U.S. manufacturing facility in NeoCity.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is the largest economic development project in the history of our community,\u201d Chairman Brandon Arrington said. \u201cThis is just a showing of the vision we\u2019ve laid out and continue to have the backbone to hold tight to.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to the contract, ELSPES will invest at least $470 million in new development and will employ 600 employees with an average salary of $85,000. The county will donate up to 32.56 pad-ready acres in the NeoCity tech district to the company for its manufacturing facility and corporate offices. The first phase will be approximately 289,000 square feet and will commence construction in January. The first 300 employees will be in place by 2030.<\/p>\n<p>The second phase will double the size of the facility and add another 300 employees by 2037, according to the agreement.<\/p>\n<p>Launched in 2021, ELSPES produces silicon capacitors used in high-computing devices for companies such as LG and Samsung. Commissioners first approved the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.growthspotter.com\/2024\/12\/02\/osceola-commissioners-approve-landmark-projects-in-neocity-and-ohp\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Memorandum of Understanding with the company in December 2024<\/a>, but the project has grown in scale and value from the initial $370 million proposal.<\/p>\n<p>NeoCity and its Center for NeoVation semiconductor manufacturing facility has attracted more than $500 million in public investment through state and federal grants and defense contracts. ELSPES represents the largest private investment in the tech district.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s the latest in a series of deals that have been percolating with county leaders over several years \u2014 part of the ongoing effort to diversify the county\u2019s tourism-based economy.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" lazyautosizes lazyload\" alt=\"The future performing arts center in NeoCity will have iconic architecture that will anchor the waterfront entertainment district. (SHoP Architects)\" width=\"1570\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/neocity-lead.png\" data-attachment-id=\"15054301\" \/><\/p>\n<p>SHoP Architects<\/p>\n<p>The future performing arts center in NeoCity will have iconic architecture that will anchor the waterfront entertainment district. (SHoP Architects)<\/p>\n<p>Last week, Commissioners approved a development agreement with another Korean tech firm: Smart Radar System, SRS Mobility. Under the agreement, SRS will invest more than $53 million to develop a 110,000-square-foot facility within NeoCity\u2019s 500-acre master-planned technology district. \u00a0The project will include office, research and development, and advanced manufacturing and assembly space focused on cutting-edge radar-based safety and smart sensor systems.<\/p>\n<p>The investment is expected to create a minimum of 190 high-wage jobs, with an average annual salary of $85,000, further accelerating Osceola County\u2019s economy and expanding economic mobility opportunities for residents.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was introduced to SRS back in 2022 and first learned of the company\u2019s innovative technology systems being integrated into autonomous vehicles, heavy industrial equipment, and military applications. We cultivated this relationship with SRS through the years and worked closely together, which has led us toward this agreement,\u201d said Commissioner Cheryl Grieb, speaking last week of the upcoming vote. \u201cOur county\u2019s economic development efforts have not only brought us Korea\u2019s high-tech investment and expertise to NeoCity, creating technology jobs but also bringing safety innovations that will keep our kids safe through a partnership with the School District of Osceola.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Last December, Commissioners also approved a<a href=\"https:\/\/www.growthspotter.com\/2025\/12\/11\/new-development-agreement-for-city-center-brings-neocity-vision-closer-to-reality\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> revised development agreement<\/a>\u00a0with the New York developers who were selected to build the mixed-use city center in the county\u2019s NeoCity tech hub.\u00a0The contract revised the terms from the 2022 MOU with co-developers, <a href=\"https:\/\/sciame.com\/\" data-mrf-link=\"https:\/\/sciame.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sciame Construction<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ejmequities.com\/home\" data-mrf-link=\"https:\/\/www.ejmequities.com\/home\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Edward J. Minskoff Equities,<\/a> and updated the phasing to account for the new Performing Arts Center that will anchor the city center. It\u2019s an important milestone in bringing the NeoCity vision of an arts-focused, technology hub closer to reality.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" lazyautosizes lazyload\" alt=\"Project Next would result in more seating for Osceola County stadium, a development academy, and an expanded training facility and headquarters for Orlando City SC and Orlando Pride. The project would also include a mix of hotels, apartments, medical office space, retail, and restaurants. (Rendering from K&amp;K Sports, LLC)\" width=\"1416\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/TGS-L-Orlando-City-Project-Next-02.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"15054302\" \/>Project Next would result in more seating for Osceola County stadium, a development academy, and an expanded training facility and headquarters for Orlando City SC and Orlando Pride. The project would also include a mix of hotels, apartments, medical office space, retail, and restaurants. (Rendering from K&amp;K Sports, LLC)<\/p>\n<p>Across from NeoCity, the owners of Orlando City SC and the Orlando Pride are making progress on their<a href=\"https:\/\/www.growthspotter.com\/2024\/11\/27\/orlando-city-sc-and-pride-hq-expansion-could-anchor-1-billion-osceola-heritage-park-redevelopment\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> $1 billion development plans for Osceola Heritage Park<\/a>. The team owners are currently in their due diligence phase after signing agreements with the county last month for phase one of the \u201cProject Next\u201d soccer hub and mixed-use district. Commissioners allocated $25 million of Tourist Development Tax revenue to match the private investment for the team\u2019s new training facilities, headquarters and stadium expansion.<\/p>\n<p>Another major employment center is taking shape with the pending development of Green Gardens Village next to the Poinciana SunRail Station. Panacea Global Energy has approved development plans and will break ground this spring on phase 1 of the $500 million clean energy campus, which will include offices, factories, a data center and a mixed-use apartment building.<\/p>\n<p>Natalia Jaramillo of the Sentinel staff contributed to this story.<\/p>\n<p>Have a tip about Central Florida development? Contact me at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.orlandosentinel.com\/2026\/05\/04\/osceola-finalizing-470m-deal-with-south-korean-tech-firm-for-neocity-hq\/mailto:lkinsler@GrowthSpotter.com\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">lkinsler@GrowthSpotter.com<\/a> or (407) 420-6261. Follow GrowthSpotter on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/growthspotter\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Facebook<\/a> and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/9384061\/admin\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Osceola Commissioners on Monday unanimously approved a development agreement with South Korean firm, ELSPES, to build its global&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1755,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[78,1642,1643,171,1174,1644,1641,1164],"class_list":["post-1754","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-korea","tag-business","tag-florida","tag-kissimmee","tag-korean","tag-latest-headlines","tag-osceola-county","tag-osceola-county-developments","tag-real-estate"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1754","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1754"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1754\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1755"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1754"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1754"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1754"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}