Ken Griffin and Stephen Ross Bet $10M That South Florida Is the Next Business Capital

Stephen Ross and Ken Griffin are putting $10 million behind a national campaign to position South Florida's Gold Coast as the top destination for corporate relocations. The initiative targets CEOs, founders, and investors in high-cost cities like New York and Chicago.

Key Takeaways

• Ross and Griffin are each contributing $5 million to fund national advertising and a concierge program that helps executives relocate companies to the Gold Coast.

• Over the past 5 years, 140+ companies have already relocated to Palm Beach County, creating 13,110 jobs and $1.12 billion in capital investment.

• West Palm Beach saw a 112% increase in millionaires over the past decade. Miami saw 94%. Both surpassed New York City as the world's fastest-growing wealth hubs.

The campaign, called "Ambition Accelerated," launched during the Wall Street Journal Invest Live conference in West Palm Beach on February 2, 2026. This is not just a marketing push. It is a coordinated effort by two of the most influential real estate and finance figures in the country to accelerate a migration pattern that is already reshaping property values across Palm Beach County and Broward County. For anyone tracking where people are moving within Florida, this campaign is designed to speed up the trend.

What does the "Ambition Accelerated" campaign actually do?

The campaign frames the Gold Coast (West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami) as one unified economic corridor rather than three separate markets.

It has two main components:

• National advertising targeting business-heavy metros in the Northeast and West Coast with messaging like: "What if you could scale in the top major metro region for GDP growth?"
• Concierge-style outreach connecting relocating executives with workforce data, office inventory, leadership introductions, and help with neighborhood selection and school timelines for their families.

Ross told the New York Post: "The only place a CEO or founder can scale from 10 employees to 10,000 will be in South Florida."

Griffin echoed the message: "Miami and the broader South Florida Gold Coast offer deep talent, regulatory clarity, and an extraordinary quality of life. These are not secondary considerations; they are foundations for long-term success."

As Larry Mastropieri explained on the Discover South Florida Podcast, "I think it's good PR, more than anything. He's suggesting this is a place where you can scale. That has been the hurdle for South Florida historically. If you're in New York City, the diversity of talent is a real thing. South Florida was maybe a little different in the past, but now it's changing. It's all happening. South Florida is on its way up."

What does this mean for South Florida real estate?

Every corporate relocation is a housing decision. When executive teams move, they need homes near offices, airports, and schools. That drives demand in residential neighborhoods across the Gold Coast.

The numbers are already significant:

• 140+ companies have relocated to Palm Beach County in the past 5 years.
• 13,110 direct jobs created.
• $1.12 billion in capital investment.
• Nearly 10,000 new residents have been added to West Palm Beach since the 2020 Census.
• Highest GDP growth among major metro areas over the past 3 years.

If this campaign accelerates the pace, expect continued pressure on housing inventory and pricing in the region's most desirable neighborhoods.

Where Ross and Griffin are already invested

This campaign is not speculative for its backers. Both Ross and Griffin have billions already deployed across South Florida real estate.

Stephen Ross (Related Ross):

• Built CityPlace in West Palm Beach.
• Controls office buildings, hotels, and residential towers across the region.
• Approximately $10 billion in real estate investment in the Palm Beach area.
• Helping bring a Vanderbilt University graduate campus and the Cleveland Clinic hospital to West Palm Beach.

Ken Griffin (Citadel):

• Owns the largest residential estate in Palm Beach ($1 billion).
• Planning a skyscraper for Citadel's $2.5 billion headquarters in downtown Miami.
• Citadel's Miami office is now larger than its former Chicago home.

Their investments are concentrated in West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, and Miami. But the campaign brands the entire Gold Coast as one market, which means companies landing in West Palm Beach still create ripple effects in Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and everywhere in between.

Which neighborhoods benefit most?

The immediate impact will be felt in areas closest to the new corporate hubs. West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, and Palm Beach Gardens are already seeing demand from finance and tech executives. Single-family waterfront homes in these areas command premium prices and are increasingly difficult to find.

But relocating executives do not all want the same thing. Some prioritize walkability and downtown access. Others want space, good schools, and suburban neighborhoods. That spreads demand into Boca Raton, Delray Beach, and communities across Broward County.

For sellers, this is a tailwind. For buyers, the window to purchase before the next wave of corporate-driven demand may be narrowing.

Recent corporate relocations shaping the market

The campaign builds on momentum that is already in motion:

Palm Beach County is now home to 4 of the top 10 private equity firms in the nation. $39 billion in wealth migrated to Florida, and Palm Beach County captured a quarter of that.

Why companies are moving to Florida

The financial incentives are straightforward:

• No state income tax
• 5.5% corporate tax rate
• Lower operating costs
• Business-friendly regulatory environment

But the campaign is also betting on lifestyle and talent as differentiators. Griffin recounted at the WSJ conference how pandemic-era trading operations at the Four Seasons Palm Beach led employees to resist returning to Chicago. "Why do we have to come back?" employees asked.

The Gold Coast posted the highest GDP growth among major metro regions over the past 3 years and ranks 3rd in talent attraction. Those numbers give credibility to the pitch that South Florida can now support scale.

What to watch next

The "Ambition Accelerated" campaign is designed to convert interest into action. Advertising will run in the Northeast and West Coast markets. The concierge program will connect interested executives with resources to evaluate and execute relocations.

For homeowners and investors across the Gold Coast, this is a signal that the corporate migration trend is not slowing down. It is being institutionalized and funded by people with skin in the game.

The question is not whether more companies will move to South Florida. It is how quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Ross and Griffin South Florida campaign

What is the "Ambition Accelerated" campaign?

Ambition Accelerated is a $10 million initiative funded by Stephen Ross and Ken Griffin to attract corporate relocations to South Florida's Gold Coast. The campaign includes national advertising targeting business leaders in high-cost cities like New York and Chicago, as well as a concierge program that helps executives evaluate office space, workforce data, and neighborhoods for their families.

Who are Stephen Ross and Ken Griffin?

Stephen Ross is the founder of Related Companies and chairman of Related Ross, with approximately $10 billion invested in Palm Beach County real estate. He built CityPlace in West Palm Beach. Ken Griffin is the founder and CEO of Citadel, worth approximately $51 billion. He relocated Citadel from Chicago to Miami and owns the largest residential estate in Palm Beach ($1 billion).

How many companies have moved to South Florida recently?

Over the past 5 years, more than 140 companies have relocated to Palm Beach County alone, creating 13,110 direct jobs and $1.12 billion in capital investment. Recent high-profile moves include Wells Fargo, ServiceNow, D-Wave Quantum, Citadel, Goldman Sachs, and Blackstone.

What does the Ambition Accelerated campaign mean for South Florida home prices?

Corporate relocations drive housing demand. When executive teams move, they need homes near offices, airports, and schools. West Palm Beach saw a 112% increase in millionaires over the past decade, and Miami saw a 94% increase. If the campaign accelerates relocations, expect continued pressure on housing inventory and pricing in the region's most desirable neighborhoods.

Which South Florida neighborhoods will benefit most from corporate relocations?

The immediate impact will be felt in West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, and Palm Beach Gardens, where finance and tech executives are already driving demand for single-family waterfront homes. However, the campaign brands the entire Gold Coast as one market, so Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Broward County communities will also see ripple effects as relocating families seek different types of housing.

Local help for buyers and investors in the Gold Coast

If you are buying, selling, or investing in West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, Boca Raton, or anywhere across the Gold Coast, understanding how corporate relocations affect neighborhood values and market timing matters. Reach out to The Mastropieri Group, Realtors®.

For practical, hands-on support across South Florida, call (561) 556-9853.

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