AMAZON.COM founder Jeff Bezos said he was moving to Miami from the Seattle region, relocating to be closer to his parents and the Cape Canaveral operations of Blue Origin, his space exploration company.

Bezos – the world’s third-wealthiest man, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index – made the announcement on Thursday (Nov 2) via Instagram, which included video of him in his Seattle garage where he founded Amazon in 1994.

“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.”

Bezos’ Amazon helped transform Seattle – the company is the city’s biggest private employer – into a technology hub with offices in the downtown core. Bezos stepped down as Amazon chief executive officer in 2021 to become the company’s executive chairman. He was succeeded by Andy Jassy.

Bezos bought a seven-bedroom mansion recently in Indian Creek, – a man-made barrier island in the larger Miami area known as the “Billionaire Bunker”. He also owns homes in Washington, DC, New York City, Los Angeles and Maui, as well as a 300,000-acre ranch in Texas, the base of the launch site for Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket.

Miami has emerged as a popular destination for elite entrepreneurs. Hedge fund tycoons Ken Griffin, Dan Loeb and Josh Harris have also scooped up lush waterfront Miami Beach mansions since the pandemic. Soccer star Lionel Messi also recently purchased an oceanside mansion in a South Florida suburb after joining Inter Miami of Major League Soccer, the US professional league.

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Griffin also moved the global headquarters of his fund to the city from Chicago earlier this year, part of an increasing flow of companies and wealthy newcomers moving to the Miami area. BLOOMBERG