RadioShack, after flirting with Raleigh, appears likely to stay in Fort Worth

RadioShack, which has looked at Raleigh as a possible place to move its corporate headquarters, is making signs that it plans to stay in Fort Worth.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported today that the company's lease on the Tarrant County College campus it shares with the college had been extended for five years.

From the Star-Telegram story: 

"But the deal will not be final unless RadioShack obtains some tax incentives, according to a company news release.

"We still need to work out some details concerning tax incentives with both the city of Fort Worth and Tarrant County," James Gooch, RadioShack's executive vice president and chief financial officer, said in the release.

No details were available Thursday night about what incentives RadioShack is seeking, but Gooch called the lease agreement "a significant step toward a final decision on our headquarters location.""

Fort Worth offered RadioShack up to $66.8 million in incentives in 2001 to get the company to build a 900,000-square-foot campus. The company sold the campus in December 2005 and as of last year had realized a little more than $4 million it was eligible for.

Wake County economic development people had dubbed efforts to court RadioShack as "Project Prince."

The Radio Shack search team had met with Highwoods, Duke Realty and the developers behind Charter Square and Edison, two proposed projects in downtown Raleigh that have been delayed indefinitely by the credit crisis.

RadioShack representatives have never confirmed the company's interest in Raleigh, saying that the company does not normally discuss rumors or speculation.