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oot Locker is relocating its global headquarters from the Penn District in New York City to St. Petersburg, Florida, as reported by the New York Business Journal. The company has a significant presence in the city, which CEO Mary Dillon described as a "meaningful executive and commercial presence" during an earnings call on Wednesday. Despite the move, Foot Locker plans to maintain a limited presence in New York City, possibly referring to its office space.

    In 2015, Foot Locker moved its global headquarters from Empire State Realty Trust’s 112 West 34th Street to Vornado Realty Trust’s 330 West 34th Street, leasing approximately 147,000 square feet in a deal that expires in 2031, according to CoStar. An executive from Vornado did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Real Deal. The building has eight office vacancies and two retail vacancies, as listed on a property website.

    Rumors of Foot Locker's move to St. Petersburg have been circulating for years. In 2021, the city publicly attempted to woo the footwear brand with an incentive package, but the attempt seemed to have stalled a year later. However, Foot Locker's decision to relocate its headquarters to St. Petersburg makes it the third Fortune 500 company based there, following Jabil and Raymond James. This move marks the latest in a series of companies relocating their headquarters to Florida since the start of the pandemic.

    Between 2020 and 2023, 158 wealth management companies left New York, with 56 of them moving to Florida. Icahn Capital Management, Cathie Wood’s ARK Investment Management, and Ken Griffin’s Citadel were among those who shifted to the Sunshine State.