Amazon, Kong Studios Opening Offices In Santa Monica

SANTA MONICA, CA — Amazon and game developer Kong Studios Inc. are adding new offices in Santa Monica, city officials announced this week.

The move is happening during a significant growth period for both companies, city officials said.

And it's a good sign for the city, with officials expecting the move to bolster the local workforce and add even more technology, game development and corporate job opportunities to the region.

“The expansion of Amazon and Kong Studios are welcome additions for job creation and a promising sign for our city’s economic growth,” Santa Monica’s Economic Development Manager Jennifer Taylor said in a statement.

More businesses coming to the city is a good sign for the city, which took a hard economic hit in the pandemic.

“As we navigate the lasting impacts of the pandemic, economic recovery remains a priority for the city, and we’re pleased to see these positive trends in new business activity that build on our talented local workforce,” Taylor said.

Amazon will open a new “tech hub” in Santa Monica as part of the company’s growing presence in Southern California, which also includes plans to lease office space in Irvine and San Diego.

The new location is slated to open in mid-2023. The new Santa Monica site is the company's largest lease in the region and will bring more than 1,000 new tech and corporate jobs to Santa Monica alone.

Amazon has signed a deal to rent a 200,000-square-foot space at the Water Garden business center. The complex already houses an office for Amazon Studios.

This spring, U.S. game developer Kong Studios Inc. announced plans to relocate its headquarters from Nevada to Santa Monica. With the move, Kong Studios aims to increase the creation of its next high-profile game, and expand its Intellectual Property and the role of its headquarters.

Technology and innovation remain one of Santa Monica’s leading economic sectors, currently employing more than 29,000 people with an average quarterly payroll of $1.95 billion. The city is already a hub for notable tech companies, including Snap, Inc., Hulu, Headspace, GoodRX and Oracle and game development companies such as Naughty Dog.

"The added presence of Amazon and Kong Studios is a testament to Santa Monica’s technology sector and its robust and diversified local economy," city officials said.