Can hosting company Linode lure Philly devs to Atlantic City?

Can Linode, which calls itself the fourth largest hosting company in the U.S., lure Philly developers to Atlantic City?

The ten-year-old company, based in Galloway Township, N.J., near the beleaguered casino town, is hoping to grow its staff of 40 by 25 in 2014 and it wants to do it by recruiting from Philly’s tech community, said founder and CEO Christopher Aker (not Akers) through a spokesman. Aker, who grew up in shore town Manahawkin, established Linode’s headquarters in Galloway because it’s the town he calls home.

Though he’s considered it, a Philadelphia satellite office isn’t in the cards, he said, because he believes it’s important for his staffers to all be in one place and accessible to each other.

But with local startups hiring left and right, why would a Philly developer want to relocate or commute one hour to “Silicon Galloway” (as Aker calls it)?

Opportunity, Aker said, not to mention sweet benefits and, of course, the shore.

Linode boasts 150,000 customers including The Onion and Creative Commons, Aker said, and offers its staffers 18 days paid time off (not counting holidays and their birthdays) to start, plus catered lunch every day.

Read more on the Inquirer.