(b) Create a minimum of one hundred new jobs for eligible employees at the economic development project or a minimum of five hundred jobs if the economic development project is an office industry or a minimum of two hundred new jobs if the economic development project is an office industry located within a distressed community as defined in section 135.530, or in the case of an approved company for a project for a world headquarters of a business whose primary function is tax return preparation in any home rule city with more than four hundred thousand inhabitants and located in more than one county, create a minimum of one hundred new jobs for eligible employees at the economic development project. An industry that meets the definition of "essential industry" may be considered an eligible industry for the purposes of the program authorized by sections 100.700 to 100.850. Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this subdivision, a development agency, as such term is defined in subdivision (3) of section 100.255, or a corporation, limited liability company, or partnership formed on behalf of a development agency, at the option of the board, may be authorized to act as an eligible industry with such obligations and rights otherwise applicable to an eligible industry, including the rights of an approved company under section 100.850, so long as the eligible industry otherwise meets the requirements imposed by this subsection;