Growing Lakeland company announces new jobs

LAKELAND (FOX 13) - The Lakeland-based company that prints the Florida Lottery’s scratch-off tickets just cut the ribbon on its long-awaited expansion, which could pay off big time for Lakeland and its residents.

The expansion means International Game Technology (IGT) will be hiring 60 more people for jobs with salaries of about $47,000 a year.

IGT set down its roots in Lakeland in 2009 and has been growing ever since. It has doubled its workforce - with more than 300 people currently employed there.

IGT just announced that along with the new jobs, it is adding 40,000 square feet to its operation and a new high tech printer. That printer will be used to print scratch-off lottery tickets.

“Last year we produced 7.3, 7.5 billion tickets,” said IGT Vice President Dennis Miller. “We’re going to be between 8.9 and 9 billion tickets.”

Economic development officials are enthused because a high-tech company like IGT may attract other high tech companies to the area.

“Any time you can land a manufacturer that’s going to put down roots for 35 years on their lease, it’s vital to our community, because they are here for the long haul,” said Laura Taylor of the Lakeland Economic Development Council.