California’s loss is Metro Atlanta’s gain, as it was announced that Yamaha Motor Co.’s U.S. subsidiary will be moving to Georgia.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced Tuesday that Yamaha Motor was moving its headquarters from Cypress, California, to Kennesaw over at least a two-year period. The company has called California its corporate home for half a century.

The move deepens the company’s roots in Georgia. Yamaha currently owns and occupies 1270 Chastain Road, a 459K SF office building in Kennesaw, where it opened a 75K SF Marine Innovation Center in 2023. It has also operated a 1.3M SF Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corporation of America factory in Newnan since 1986, according to Kemp.

The governor trumpeted the move as a signal that companies prefer the state’s business-friendly policies.

“This is another loud and clear testament to what we offer job creators from around the world,” Kemp said in a press release.

Kemp spokesperson Carter Chapman said the state did not provide any grants or Quick Start funds to lure Yamaha to the state. It was unclear how many jobs, if any, will be added to Georgia, but the move will affect around 250 employees in California, the New York Post reported.

Even before the move, Yamaha had been working to expand its office footprint in Kennesaw, more than 30 miles north of Downtown Atlanta. In November, the company leased 25K SF at TownPark Commons, a four-building, 350K SF office park, RGRE Vice President Austin Miller told Bisnow.

RGRE purchased the office park out of foreclosure nearly a year ago for $42M, the Atlanta Business Chronicle previously reported.

Miller said he was unsure if its deal with Yamaha was directly related to the headquarters move but understood at the time that the company was “investing long term in the Kennesaw market.” He said Yamaha was seeking another 50K to 75K SF of office in Kennesaw over the next two years.

“It sounded like they were ramping some growth and consolidation in the Kennesaw market,” Miller said.

The move does not surprise T. Dallas Smith & Co. principal Cedric Matheny, who said he had a gut feeling the company was planning to grow in Metro Atlanta. The Atlanta-area broker said he agrees with Kemp’s assessment of the state’s business climate.

“I think [the HQ move] indicates that Georgia is still the No. 1 place to do business at the end of the day. Companies are moving to Georgia because of what we offer,” Matheny said.

Yamaha spokesperson Bob Starr told the New York Post the move to Metro Atlanta was part of a structural reform to boost profits as costs and tariff pressures climbed.

“In terms of efficiency, to have us all together in Georgia — all the functions of the business — it makes a lot of sense,” Starr told the Post.

Yamaha tapped Avison Young to sell its sprawling 25-acre headquarters campus at 6555 Katella Ave. in Orange County, California. The complex includes 279K SF in three buildings, and the motor giant plans to lease back the facility “during the transitional period, while pursuing future redevelopment entitlements,” according to Avison Young.

A message seeking comment from Yamaha was not immediately returned.