Yamaha Motor Corp. USA, after almost 50 years in Orange County, is relocating its headquarters from Cypress, California, to Kennesaw, Georgia. Approximately 250 employees will be affected by this corporate shift, which is part of significant structural changes aimed at increasing profits amid rising costs, including challenges from tariffs under the administration of President Donald Trump and evolving market conditions.
The company plans to begin the transition in late 2026, with the process extending through 2028. Yamaha spokesperson Bob Starr emphasized that consolidating operations in Georgia aligns with business efficiency goals.
This move marks another setback for Cypress, following Mitsubishi Motors North America's departure in 2019 after 31 years. Yamaha's parent company, Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., based in Japan, will also sell the company's 25-acre Katella Avenue campus, a key administrative center for financial and corporate functions related to its motorsports products such as ATVs, golf carts, motorcycles, and boats. The site does not include manufacturing facilities.
Avison Young, a commercial brokerage firm, has been enlisted to market the expansive property, which spans nearly 279,000 square feet across a city block, offering a significant industrial redevelopment opportunity in Southern California.
Yamaha has a history in Georgia, having relocated its marine division there in 1999 and its motorsports operations in 2019, culminating in the headquarters move. Cypress city officials expressed disappointment but gratitude for Yamaha's longstanding presence, acknowledging the company's role as a vital part of the business community since its establishment in the Cypress Business Park in 1980. Alicia Velasco, the city's planning and community development director, thanked Yamaha for its partnership and expressed readiness to collaborate on transitioning the site to new ownership.
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