Apple to invest $304 million on new campus in Texas, create 3,600 jobs

Apple Inc, the technology giant that has more than $500 billion in cash reserves, will be spending $304 million in building a new campus in Austin, Texas, in order to expand its customer service operations and create more than 3,600 jobs.

The new campus will more than double the size of Apple's workforce in Texas over the next decade, supporting the company's growing operations in the Americas with expanded customer support, sales and accounting functions for the region.

The Cupertino, California-based company already employs thousands in Austin for handling customer complaints and support.

Apple's components for the A5/A5X chipsets are also made in Texas.

The state has offered Apple an investment of $21 million over 10 years through the Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF), which will be the largest job creation projects undertaken by the TEF, but also the largest investment by a TEF recipient.

Texas Governor Rick Perry said, ''Apple is known for its bold innovation and game-changing designs, and the expansion of their Austin facility adds to the growing list of visionary high-tech companies that have found that Texas' economic climate is a perfect fit for their future, thanks to our low taxes, reasonable and predictable regulations, fair legal system and skilled workforce."

"Our operations in Austin has grown dramatically over the past decade from less than 1,000 in 2004 to more than 3,500 today," Apple spokesman Steve Dowling said.