Amazon founder Jeff Bezos announced that he will be moving from the Seattle region in Washington state to Miami to be closer to family and his space exploration company.
Bezos announced his relocation plans on Instagram on Thursday. He said the reason for the move is to be closer to his parents and the Cape Canaveral operations of Blue Origin LLC, his space exploration company.
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“I’ve lived in Seattle longer than I’ve lived anywhere else and have so many amazing memories here,” Bezos said. “As exciting as the move is, it’s an emotional decision for me. Seattle, you will always have a place in my heart.”
The entrepreneur, currently the world's third-wealthiest man, helped transform Seattle's downtown landscape into a technology hub, with Amazon as the city's biggest private employer. Bezos stepped down as CEO to become chief executive chairman in 2021.
The news of his move comes after Bezos added another mansion to his estate arsenal in mid-October, this time in South Florida. He bought the seven-bedroom mansion next door to his for $79 million in Indian Creek, a man-made barrier island, Bloomberg reported. The Indian Creek home joined his other lodgings in Washington, D.C., New York City, Los Angeles, and Maui, Hawaii, as well as a 300,000-acre ranch in Texas.
Bezos's move from Seattle comes as the city's crime rate continues to increase. Businesses up and down Seattle have expressed their concerns and frustration at the level of criminal activity in their neighborhoods. On Sept. 25, Seattle surpassed the 2022 homicide toll with three months left of 2023.
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Seattle police have investigated at least 57 homicides in 2023 compared to the 54 homicides investigated in 2022. There have been 114 homicides in King County, which houses Seattle, which is just five shy of the 119 total in 2022.
Miami has also become a top destination for elite entrepreneurs. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, hedge fund tycoons Ken Griffin, Dan Loeb, and Josh Harris have purchased waterfront Miami Beach mansions, according to Bloomberg. Soccer superstar Lionel Messi recently purchased a mansion in South Florida after joining Inter Miami of Major League Soccer.