Prime Highlights:
- Oracle has launched a $1.2 billion investment in Nashville, creating a new 2-million-square-foot “world headquarters” with premium amenities, including a Nobu restaurant.
- The company aims to add 8,500 jobs in the city by 2031, reinforcing Nashville’s position as a growing technology hub.
Key Facts:
- Only around 800 employees currently work in Nashville, compared to thousands in Oracle’s other U.S. offices, highlighting challenges in attracting talent.
- Tennessee offered Oracle a $65 million economic grant and reimburses 50% of future property taxes as part of its expansion deal.
Background:
Oracle is attempting to attract tech talent to its newly announced Nashville, Tennessee, “world headquarters,” offering a sprawling 2-million-square-foot office and an upscale in-house Nobu restaurant. The move marks a key step in the company’s long-term strategy to expand its presence outside of California and Austin.
Larry Ellison, Oracle’s cofounder and CTO, publicly called Nashville the company’s “world headquarters” in 2024, describing it as “the center of our future.” The tech giant committed $1.2 billion in capital investment over ten years and pledged to create 8,500 jobs in the city. Tennessee state leaders supported the expansion with a $65 million economic development grant to offset costs associated with relocating or establishing a business in the state.
Oracle’s Nashville campus is tied to $175 million in infrastructure improvements, including a pedestrian bridge and park space along the Cumberland River. The company can also recoup part of its investment through reimbursements covering 50% of future property tax payments. Don Watson, Oracle’s senior vice president of global real estate and facilities, said the campus would help position Nashville as a hub for AI innovation.
Despite these incentives and high-end amenities, Oracle has struggled to attract workers. Bloomberg reports that only about 800 employees are currently assigned to Nashville offices, compared with more than 5,000 at the Cerner campus in Kansas City and another 5,000 across Redwood City and Austin. In 2025, the company recorded a net gain of just seven employees in Nashville.
Employees cited concerns over potential pay limitations, as Nashville falls into a lower geographic pay band than California. Oracle continues to offer relocation incentives to attract existing cloud employees from other locations.
City officials remain optimistic. A spokesperson for the Nashville East Bank Development Authority said the agency is “eager to support the construction of the new campus” and believes Nashville will continue growing as a center for technology and innovation.
Oracle’s commitment to Nashville highlights the company’s ambition to expand its footprint in the U.S. while boosting the local economy. The next challenge is turning this plan into real growth in the number of employees.