Clayton Re-engage Centene

April 24, 2008

Clayton Mayor Linda Goldstein said Thursday that the City of Clayton, regional and state officials have re-entered discussions with Centene Corporation about developing its new headquarters in downtown Clayton. Centene recently abandoned plans to move its headquarters project to Ballpark Village in downtown St. Louis.

“Discussions are currently underway with Centene to revisit its Clayton site for its new and expanded headquarters,” Goldstein said. “We received positive feedback about the project and have been in negotiations.”

Goldstein said Centene’s future expansion in Clayton is “far from guaranteed,” and many issues are still under discussion. The mayor added that key constituencies in Clayton are being consulted to ensure a broad-based community consensus.

“We are hopeful Centene will see its current home in Clayton is a good one to build on for the future,” she said. “While we are cautiously optimistic that the mutual needs of Centene and Clayton can be met, it’s never a deal until it’s done.”

St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley echoed Goldstein’s sentiments.

“We work hard everyday to keep high-quality companies like Centene in our region,” he said. “We believe the opportunity to keep their proposed mixed-use development in Clayton will provide this important and growing company with a state-of-the-art world headquarters that will serve them well for years to come.”

The State of Missouri is also in discussions with Centene.

“We have been firmly committed over the last three years to creating an economic climate that helps Missouri businesses grow and expand their presence in our state,” said Gov. Matt Blunt.

“Our proposal is a sound investment in the St. Louis region’s economic future and I am pleased to partner with the Missouri Development Finance Board, the City of Clayton and St. Louis County to help this Missouri employer create more jobs for workers and families.”
Centene has been a Clayton corporate citizen since 1997.