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Greater Dubuque Development Corp Report_Site Selection Magazine
100 Results matter especially when it comes to spending huge amounts of time and money setting up a new business location. That's why it is impor- tant to locate the operation in a city or region that knows how to grow its economy and has the track record to prove it. For this year's Leading Locations study, Area Development analyzed economic and work force data for 380 metropolitan statisti- cal areas (MSAs) — both for 2011-2012 (recent performance) and 2007-2012 (duration of the Great Recession). The goal was to identify which cities across America are emerging from the recession as economic front-runners — and why. Sometimes the reason for success is as simple as being in the right place at the right time (for example, being located in the mid- dle of the oil shale boom). For most success depends on responding LEADING LOCATIONS for 2013 + + + + + + + • 4 + 4 + + + + + + +++ + + + + + 4 + • + + + + + 4 + + 4++ 4 + + + 44+ 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + +++—+ + +4+4- + 4+4+ + + 4 + + + + + + + 4 + 4 + + +44+ + + 4 + + 4 + 4 + + 4 + 4 + + 4+4+ + + + 4 + + + + 4 + + + 4 + + 4 4 + 4 + 4 + + 4 + + 4 + + 4 + + cities, though, sustained effectively to the many factors that impact economic per- formance, as well as proactively creating healthy business climates and investing in the future. This type of multilevel support helps local companies be more competitive with offshore locations, keeping profits and jobs at home. Recovery is always easiest with a diversified economic base, something that most of the leading MSAs share. The top three MSAs in each size category are profiled in the pages that follow — some of the results might even surprise you. + 4 + 4 OA 4 + 4+ + Note: Area Development's research desk compiled the statistics for this report. Locations were ranked according to the methodology explained herein. Location profiles/articles were researched and written by Mark Crawford, Staff Editor. 4 4 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + ♦ + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + ♦ + + + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + + 4 + + 4 ♦ + + + 4 + 4 + 4 + + + 4 + 4 44 + + + 4 + + 4+ 4 4 4 4+ + 4 + + + + + + 4 + 4 4 4 + 4 + + + + + + + + + 4+4+ •4 4 •4+ ++ + + + + + + + + + 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 + 3,+ + + 4 + + + 4 4+ 4+ 4 4 4+ 4 4-4 +4444 +++�.+„} 4 4444+44 44+°44 + ++++++ 4—+4+ 4+ 4+ 4+ + 4 4 + 4+++ ++++++ 4+ 4 4 4 4 4+ 4+ +4 4+++++ + —4 + 4 4 4 4 4 4 + 4 + + + 4 + + + + + + 4 4 4 4 4 4 4+ 4+ 4+ + 4+4+ + + 4 4 + 4 4 + 4 + + + 4 + + + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 AREA DEVELOPMENT 1 Q2/Spring 2013 81 100 LEADING LOCATIONS 82 AREA DEVELOPMENT FOR FREE SITE INFORMATION, CALL 800-735-2732, EXT. 225, OR VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.AREADEVELOPMENT.COM City / MSA State Population 1 Lafayette # LA 273,738 2 Fargo ND -MN 208,777 3 Odessa. - L TXI ! 137,130 4 Columbus IN 76,794 5 San Jose -Su nnyvale-Sa nta Clara Jackson 11,836,911 6 Austin -Round Rock -San Marcos TX 1,716,289 7 Midland ' Killeen -Temple -Fort Hood, 136,872 8 Holland -Grand Haven MI 263,801 9 Framingh- ; VE 263,875 10 Bismarck ND 108,779 111 Boston -Cambridge -Quincy •MAU 12,863,943 12 Dubuque IA 93,653 113 Oklahoma City 10K1 11,252,987 14 Casper WY 75,450 15 Sandus ' OH] . 77,079 16 San Francisco -San Mateo -Redwood City CA 1,776,095 L7 Tulsa Anchorage _ 1937,478 18 Dallas -Plano -Irving TX 4,235,751 119 Washington -Arlington -Alexandria „WV „4,377,008 1 TN -111 20 Morgantown WV 129,709 21 OMa-Council Bluffs '.IE -1 .865,350 22 Corpus Christi TX 428,185 23 Elizabethtown • KY- t 119,736 24 Houma -Bayou Cane -Thibodaux LA 208,178 25 Victoria ' TX I 115,384 26 Cheyenne WY 91,738 27 Santa Rosa-Peta - LCA• •483,878 28 Springfield IL 210,170 29 Burlington -South Burlington ' Akron ! 198,627 30 Houston -Sugar Land -Baytown TX 5,946,800 31 Longview ' ITX] i_214,369 32 Bellingham WA 201,140 33 Bou •er 1C01 F294,567 34 Santa Barbara -Santa Maria -Goleta CA 423,895 35 Louisville -Jefferson Count FY --II r,283,566 36 Des Moines -West Des Moines IA 569,633 37 Sioux Falls ISD U 1 228,261 38 Ames IA 89,542 39 Ann Arbor IPA L 344,791 40 1 Bethesda -Rockville -Frederick MD 1,205,162 41 San Antonio -New Fraunfels ' �7 ,142, 8 42 Waco TX 234,906 43 Fort Worth-Arlin.ton TX kl36,022 44 Fayetteville -Springdale -Rogers AR -MO 463,204 45 Columbus Barnstable Town _ r-294,865 46 Salt Lake City UT 1,124,197 47 Seattle -Bellevue -Everett Naples -Marco Island _ W,644,584 48 Fairbanks AK 97,581 49 Amarillo New York -White Plains-Wa ne r 249,881 50 St. Joseph MO -KS 127,329 82 AREA DEVELOPMENT FOR FREE SITE INFORMATION, CALL 800-735-2732, EXT. 225, OR VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.AREADEVELOPMENT.COM City / MSA State Population 51 L TX 111,823 San Angelo 52 Durham -Chapel Hill NC 504,357 53 Appleton [VIE f 225,666 54 Lake Charles LA 199,607 55 Jackson CII 060,248 56 Boise City -Nampa ID 616,561 57 Killeen -Temple -Fort Hood, -1. aL405,300 58 Charlotte -Gastonia -Rock Hill NC -SC 1,758,038 [59 Cincinnati -Middletown PH -KY -IN 2,130,151 60 Columbia MO 172,786 [61 Denver- Aurora -Broomfield 12,543,482 62 Fort Collins -Loveland CO 299,630 63 Lafayette 1 IN l 201,789 64 Provo -Orem UT 526,810 [65 Portland -Vancouver -Hillsboro [OR -WA 2,226,009 66 Cedar Rapids IA 257,940 ' 67 Anchorage _ ` AK. ` 380,821 68 State College PA 153,990 69 Knoxville 1 TN -111 [ 698,030 70 Tyler TX 209,714 71 Lewiston LD -W._ L 60,888 72 Williamsport PA 116,111 73 Linco ` Nin r 302,157 74 San Luis Obispo -Paso Robles CA 269,637 75 La red. L Ti I0,304 76 Charleston -North Charleston- SC 664,607 Summerville 77 Texarkana ` 36,027 78 Akron OH 703,200 79 Elkhart -Goshen ' 1 1 I 197,559 80 Mobile AL 412,992 81 Canton -Massillon ' 1-01. [ 404,422 82 Nashville -Davidson- TN 1,589,934 Mu rfreesboro-F ra nkli n 83 Chattanoo.= ITN.6, r 528,143 84 Pittsburgh PA 2,356,285 85 Minneapolis -St. Paul -Bloomington .'MN -WI 3,279,833 86 Beaumont -Port Arthur TX 388,745 87 Monroe AM' LA• 1 176,441 88 Baton Rouge LA 802,484 89 La Crosse FWl- 1 133,665 90 Oshkosh -Neenah WI 166,994 91 Gainesville -' G. [ 179,684 92 Spartanburg SC 284,307 93 Barnstable Town _ 1 Mr® 1 239,675 94 Madison WI 568,593 95 Naples -Marco Island _ 1 FL. 1 321,520 96 Lima OH 106,331 97 New York -White Plains-Wa ne LNY-NJ 11,576,251 98 San Diego -Carlsbad -San Marcos CA 3,095,313 99 Kingsport-Bristol-Bri "_ [TN -VA 309,544 100 Rochester MN 186,011 82 AREA DEVELOPMENT FOR FREE SITE INFORMATION, CALL 800-735-2732, EXT. 225, OR VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.AREADEVELOPMENT.COM LAFAYE(j1jsItN\ L') 100 LEADMIG LOCATIONS for 2013 A unique place to live and do business Strategic Location Pro-business Climate World-class Workforce Unmatched Quality of Life High-tech Infrastructure Lafayette, LA is a medical, energy, transportation, entertainment, education and retail hub in the heart of South Louisiana. The resilience of Lafayette's economy is attributed to its entrepreneurial spirit and productive workforce. With this foundation, Lafayette is able to foster an economy that supports a growing population, a low unemployment rate and diverse industry sectors. HEAR THE REST OF OUR STORY Lafayette Economic Development Authority (337) 593-1400 • lafayette.org ACADIANA...LEADING THE WAY LAFAYETTE RANKS #1 IN AREA DEVELOPMENT'S TODAY'S LEADING LOCATIONS REPORT 93 Area Development identifies the Leading 100 MSAs whose economies are trending upward as measured by 21 growth indicators pulled from leading economic data sets. The results rank those MSAs that are leading the way out from recession and appear to be in the best position to attract new and expanding business and create jobs going forward. EG LAFAYETTE tops the charts by ranking #1 on 7 of 8 categories. CITY OF THE FUTURE EB Lafayette was named as a top 10 Small American City of Future and topped the list for Foreign Direct Investment Strategies for small cities. THE BEST INSTITUTIONS EG The Princeton Review listed the University of Louisiana at Lafayette as one of the nation's best institutions for undergraduate education in the 2013 edition of The Best 377 Colleges. COME GROW WITH US ACADIANA ffi LOUISIANA EG USA TEAMACADIANA.ORG • (337) 593-1411 FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES EG Five Lafayette -based firms made this year's Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies. — Golfballs.com, Acadian Companies, Bizzuka, Townsend, Apex Freight Services. BEST PLACES TO LIVE IN LOUISIANA Livability.corn lists the Best Places to Live in Louisiana which includes Crowley and Lafayette. LARGEST EMPLOYMENT INCREASE EG LafayetteMSA experienced the largest increase in employment in the nation fro r i December 2011 to December 2012 with an 8.6% gain. TOP 10 FOODIE CITY 93 Lafayette has been named one of the Top 10 Foodie Cities by Livabilitycom, a national website that ranks quality of life and travel amenities of America's small and mid-sized cities. ACADIANA Economic Development 100 LEADING LOCATIONS for 2013 Known as the heart BIG CITIES — (population > 600,000) San Jose -Sunnyvale - Santa Clara, California of the Silicon Valley, the San Jose MSA has a rich tradition of high-tech entrepre- neurship, innovation, and discovery. About $8 billion in METHODOLOGY ranked 380 MSAs across 21 economic and work force indicators. These 21 indicators were pulled from seven (7) data sets (sub -categories) originating from four sources: the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Census American Commu- nity Survey, and IHS. Each MSA earned a ranking within each of the 21 indicators based on its statistical performance within that indicator. The MSA with the best performance in a certain indicator earned a ranking score of "1" and the MSA with the worst performance earned a ranking score of "380." Tc "Overall Ranking," we added the total ranking across all indicators for each MSA and then divided by the total number of indicators to reach an average ranking. The MSA with the lowest average earned the #1 overall ranking, while the MSA with the highest average ranked #380 overall. We also calculated overall ranking across four categories: "Prime Work Force," "Economic Strength," "Recession - Busting Cities," and "Year -Over -Year Growth. To calculate the overall 11 ranking within these four categories, we produced an average ranking across only certain sub -category indicators. An indicator did not have to be exclusive to our category rankings. For instance, the "Employment Growth Net 3 -Year Change as Percentage of Population" was used within both the "Economic Strength" and "Recession -Busting Cities" categories. We have also a set of lists, using our overall results and category results, grouping the MSAs by region and size. We ranked the Top 5-20 MSAs in each region (defined by Area Development Online taxonomy), and we also ranked the top MSAs across three size groups: "Small" (population <160,000), "Mid -Size" (population 160,000- 600,000), and "Big" (population>600,000). We ranked the cities within each size group against our overall rankings and "Prime Work Force," "Economic Strength," "Recession -Busting Cities," and "Year -Over -Year Growth" categories. of the methodology behind our Leading Locations report, go to www.areadevelopment.com/ LeadingLocations2013/ methodology. i 1 venture capital funding is invested in the region every year, driving R&D and commercialization efforts, espe- cially in the fields of nanotechnology, communications, and information and computer technology (ICT). Major players include Cisco Systems, Samsung, eBay, Google, and Yahoo. Top universities in the area — San Jose State University, University of California -Berkeley, and Stanford University — attract some of the best student talent in the country, turning out an impressive number of highly skilled scientists and engineers. As a result of this stellar work force, strong economic growth, and the creation of high -paying jobs, San Jose also placed first in the 2012 Milken Institute Best -Performing Cities Index. Recent announcements include Samsung Semiconductor's expansion of its research and develop- ment campus and FICO's plans to relocate from Minneapolis to San Jose to be closer to Silicon Valle City / MSA State 2010 Overall Population Rank 1 San Jose -Sunnyvale -Santa Claill CA L1836911 5 2 Austin -Round Rock -San Marcos TX 1716289 6 3 Boston -Cambridge -Quincy " MA 1/2863943 11 4 Oklahoma City OK 1252987 13 5 San Francisco -San Mateo -Redwood City 1 , CA r 1776095 16 6 Tulsa OK 937478 17 7 Dallas -Plano -Irving (Metropolitan Division), ! TX 4235751 18 8 Washington -Arlington -Alexandria DC -VA -MD -UW 4377008 19 9 Omaha -Council Bluffs NE -IA 865350 21 10 Houston -Sugar Land -Baytown TX L 5946800 30 11 Louisville -Jefferson County -' KY -IN l 11283566 35 12 Bethesda -Rockville -Frederick MD 1205162 40 13 San Antonio -New Braunfels TX 2142508 41 14 FortWorth-ArlingtonTX 2136022 43 15 Salt Lake City ' i UT 1124197 46 16 Seattle -Bellevue -Everett WA 2644584 47 17 Boise City -Nampa . ID 616561 56 18 Charlotte -Gastonia -Rock Hill NC -SC 1758038 58 19 Cincinnati -Middletown F OH -KY -IN 2130151 59 20 Denver -Aurora -Broomfield CO 2543482 61 21 Portland -Vancouver -Hillsboro OR -WA 2226009 65 22 Knoxville TN 698030 69 23 Charleston -North Charleston -Summerville SC 664607 76 24 Akron OH 703200 78 25 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin TN 1589934 82 26 Pittsburgh PA 2356285 84 27 Minneapolis -St. Paul -Bloomington MN -WI 3279833 65 28 Baton Rouge LA 802484 66 29 New York -White Plains -Wayne NY -NJ 11576251 97 30 San Diego -Carlsbad -San Marcos CA 3095313 98 84 AREA DEVELOPMENT FOR FREE SITE INFORMATION, CALL 800-735-2732, EXT. 225, OR VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.AREADEVELOPMENT.COM Seek�v�9 sustatv►ah(e hustv►esses... TARGET RECRUITMENT CLUSTERS' DVANCED TECHNOLOG • MANUFFURING • Automotive Suppliers • Carbon Fiber & Composites • Medical Equipment • Specialty Foods CORPORATE SERVICE • Corporate & Regional Headquarters • Data Centers • Transaction Support rIVE MEDIA SEF" • Digital & Interactive Media • Film, Television & Video Production Monday • Energy Storage Systems • Nuclear Component Manufacturing • Smart Grid Technologies • Renewable Energy SPORTA • Distribution & Logistics KNOXVILLE OAK RIDGE INNOVATION VALLEY® WWW.KNOXVILLEOAKRIDGE.COM 100 LEADING LOCATIONS for 2013 TOP 20 BIG CITIES - Economic Strength Factors City / MSA State Population Overall "Economic' Rank Houston -Sugar Land -Baytown San Jose -Sunnyvale -Santa Clara Boston -Cambridge -Quincy Austin -Round Rock -San Marcos Salt Lake City Fort Worth -Arlington Seattle -Bellevue -Everett Denver -Aurora -Broomfield Knoxville San Francisco -San Mateo -Redwood City Dallas -Plano -Irving Omaha -Council Bluffs Oklahoma City San Antonio -New Braunfels Charleston -North Charleston -Summerville Nashville -Davidson -Murfreesboro -Franklin Tulsa New York -White Plains -Wayne Raleigh -Cary Washington -Arlington -Alexandria 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 iTX CA • MA TX It UT TX WA CO TN CA TX NE -IA OK TX SC TN OKA. NY -NJ MIEW DC -VA -MD -WV 5946800 1836911 2863943 1716289 1124197 2136022 2644584 2543482 698030 1776095 4235751 8 653 50 1252987 2142508 664607 1589934 937478 11576251 1130490 4377008 59 108 290 9 247 62 256 157 36 12 244 286 53 10 67 294 353 277 64 143 TOP 20 BIG CITIES Prime Workforce Growth 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 City/ MSA Washington -Arlington -Alexandria Louisville -Jefferson County Providence -Fall River -Warwick San Jose -Sunnyvale -Santa Clara Poughkeepsie -Newburgh -Middletown Bethesda -Rockville -Frederick Gary San Diego -Carlsbad -San Marcos Oklahoma City Austin -Round Rock -San Marcos Toledo Little Rock -North Little Rock -Conway Tulsa Boston -Cambridge -Quincy Charlotte -Gastonia -Rock Hill Newark -Union Albuquerque Fresno Pittsburgh Indianapolis -Carmel • • State Population Overall 'Workforce" Rank DC -VA -MD -WV KY -IN RI -MA CA NY MD IN CA • OK TX OH AR • OK MA NC -SC NJ -PA I— NM CA • PA IN 1 4377008 1283 566 1600852 1636911 670301 1205162 708070 3095313 1252987 1716289 651 42 9 699757 937478 2863943 1758038 2147727 887077 930450 2356285 1756241 2 9 10 11 14 19 25 26 30 31 38 43 51 53 54 59 62 67 76 84 TOP 20 BIG CITIES "Year Over Year Growth" City/MSA State 2010 Overall Population"Year-Over" -Year Growth 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Austin -Round Rock -San Marcos San Jose -Sunnyvale -Santa Clara San Francisco -San Mateo -Redwood City Omaha -Council Bluffs Boston -Cambridge -Quincy Bethesda -Rockville -Frederick Boise City -Nampa Dallas -Plano -Irving Tulsa OK Washington -Arlington -Alexandria Columbia Louisville -Jefferson County Charlotte -Gastonia -Rock Hill Cincinnati -Middletown Phoenix -Mesa -Glendale Orlando -Kissimmee -Sanford Oklahoma City Salt Lake City Minneapolis -St. Paul -Bloomington Seattle -Bellevue -Everett II T CA ▪ CA NE -IA • MA MD • ID TX 937478 DC -VA -MD -WV SC KY -IN IL NC -SC OH -KY -IN AZ FL OK UT MN -WI WA 1716289 1836911 1776095 8 653 50 2863943 12 051 62 616566 4235751 -71 4377008 7675981 1263566 1758038 2130151 4192887-1 2134411 1252987 1124197 3279833 2644584 2 3 5 7 9 15 25 29 30 31 35 1-37 39 40 49 51 54 TOP 20 BIG CITIES - "Recession -Busting" City / MSA State PopulationOverall "Recession - Busting" Rank 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Oklahoma City Austin -Round Rock -San Marcos Boston -Cambridge -Quincy Washington -Arlington -Alexandria Houston -Sugar Land -Baytown Pittsburgh San Jose -Sunnyvale -Santa Clara Knoxville Fort Worth -Arlington Dallas -Plano -Irving (Metropolitan Division) San Antonio -New Braunfill Tulsa McAllen -Edinburg -Mission Charleston -North Charleston -Summerville New Orleans -Metairie -Kenner Omaha -Council Bluffs EI Paso New York -White Plains -Wayne Denver -Aurora -Broomfield Bethesda -Rockville -Frederick 1 TX r MA DC -VA -MD -WV TX PA CA TN • TX TX TX OK L TX SC NE -IA f TX NY -NJ MD 1252987 171 628 9 2663943 4377008 5946800 2356285 1836911 698030 2136022 4235751 2142508 937478 •774769 664607 1167764 865350 800647 11576251 2543482 1205162 0 15 16 19 26 31 34 53 58 58 60 66 68 69 74 80 84 92 97 86 AREA DEVELOPMENT FOR FREE SITE INFORMATION, CALL 800-735-2732, EXT. 225, OR VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.AREADEVELOPMENT.COM ire \�ght place in T ex,s2 Nem 4.0„......_, The Right Place to Live, Work and Play. Now more than ever, Odessa is the right place in Texas to live, work and play. Following the discovery of oil in the Permian Basin in 1926, Odessa became the hub for service, equipment and manufacturing. Since that time, Odessa has diversified significantly, but it is still considered one of the major oil field technology and manufacturing centers in the world. Odessa's quality of life offers a unique blend of small and large town benefits as a vibrant, energetic city in West Texas where the sky, literally, is the only limit. Odessa is a dynamic city that boasts fresh air, awe-inspiring sunsets and 877-363-3772 the friendliest people you'll ever find. info@odessaecodev.com www.odessatex.com Odessa, Texas was recently listed in Forbes magazine as the #7 small city in America for Best Job Growth CNBC Study Ranks Texas as #1 Business Climate in the Nation Odessa, Texas, has experienced the fastest growth in the country from 2010, 15.2 percent - US Department of Commerce 100 LEADING LOCATIONS for 2013 engineering talent pool. "By operating from the Silicon Valley, we can more readily build upon our company's deep talent pool, collaborate with other big thinkers in the world's premier technology hub, and help our cus- tomers compete more effectively in the era of big data," says FICO's president and CEO William Lansing • Austin -Round Rock -San Marcos, Texas Key industries in the Austin MSA are advanced man- ufacturing, electronics, multimedia technology, clean -energy and power technology, life science and biotech- ' : ogy, and data centers. According to the Brookings Institution, Austin ranked first overall among the 100 largest U.S. metros based on amount recovered from pre -recession peak to the present, based on jobs, City / MSA State 2010 Overall Population Rank 1 Lafayette LA 273736 1 2 Fargo ND -MN 208777 2 3 Holland -Grand Haven MI 2 638 01 8 4 Framingham MA 263875 9 5 Corpus Christi TX 428185 22 6 Houma -Bayou Cane -Thibodaux LA 208178 24 7 Santa Rosa -Petaluma CA 483878 27 8 Springfield IL 210170 28 9 Burlington -South Burlington VT 198627 29 10 Longview TX 214369 31 11 Bellingham WA 201140 32 12 Boulder CO 294567 33 13 Santa Barbara -Santa Maria -Goleta CA 423895 34 14 Des Moines -West Des Moines IA 569633 36 15 Sioux Falls SD 228261 37 16 Ann Arbor MI 3 447 91 39 17 Waco TX 234906 42 18 Fayetteville -Springdale -Rogers AR -MO 4 632 04 43 19 Columbus GA -AL 294865 45 20 Amarillo TX 249881 49 21 Durham -Chapel Hill NC 504357 52 22 Appleton WI 225666 53 23 Lake Charles LA 199607 54 24 Jackson MI 160248 55 25 Killeen -Temple -Fort Hood TX 405300 57 26 Columbia MO 172766 60 27 Fort Collins -Loveland CO 299630 62 28 Lafayette IN 201789 63 29 Provo -Orem UT 526810 64 30 Cedar Rapids IA 257940 66 unemployment, gross product, and housing prices. Further, Austin placed second on the 2012 Milken Institute Best -Performing Cities Index. Much of this economic growth is driven by improved performance in chip -making and systems design. Dell, IBM, Apple, and Samsung are among the largest tech- nology employers. Backed by a $21 million investment through the Texas Enterprise Fund and an $8.6 million grant from the city of Austin, Apple will undertake a $304 million expansion of its facilities, eventually creat- ing 3,600 well -paying jobs. Samsung's $4 billion expan- sion of its semiconductor manufacturing operations will increase its total investment in Austin to $13 billion since 1996. GM plans to build a 500 -employee innova- tion center and eBay, another major Austin employer, will hire about 1,000 software engineers over the ne': 10 years. With this kind of growth in high-technology fields, it is no surprise that Austin has also recently been named by the Business Journals as one of the top three cities for young adults to establish careers in post -recession- ary America. Boston -Cambridge -Quincy, Massachusetts With over $4 billion in new development projects totaling more than 10 million square feet under con - TOP 20 MID-SIZE CITIES -Economic Strength Facto City IMSA State Population Overall "Economic" Rank 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Lafayette Fargo Framingham Longview Boulder Bellingham Sioux Falls Fort Collins -Loveland Appleton Durham -Chapel Hill Burlington -South Burlington Corpus Christi Lafayette Beaumont -Port Arthur Houma -Bayou Cane -Thibodaux Holland -Grand Haven Amarillo Fayetteville -Springdale -Rogers Pascagoula Tyler LA ND -MN MA TX CO WA SD CO WI NC VT TX IN TX LA MI TX AR -MO MS TX 273738 208777 263875 214369 294567 201140 228261 299630 225666 504357 198627 428185 201789 388745 208178 263801 249881 463204 162246 209714 4 8 15 16 19 20 23 24 26 27 29 32 36 37 39 41 47 50 52 88 AREA DEVELOPMENT FOR FREE SITE INFORMATION, CALL 800-735-2732, EXT. 225, OR VISIT US ONLINE AT wWW.AREADEVELOPMENT.COM CENTRE • is COMMUN www.ce OUNTY our business. TY BUILDING is of , job. trecountyidc.org struction, Boston is booming. The Inn along the South Boston waterfront h 200 new companies and 4,000 new jo of industries, including technology, lif and advertising. Vertex Pharmaceutic building its $800 million, 1.1 -million -s headquarters in the heart of the distr The Boston MSA enjoys an interna ovation District as attracted over bs across a variety e sciences, design, als is currently quare -foot global ict. tional reputation for healthcare and medicine. According to Jones Lang LaSalle, nearly 75,000 people in the Boston MSA are employed in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries — second only to San Diego. Boston's 22 hospitals and 34 col- leges and universities are impor- tant anchors in the city's econo- my. The city is also the leading recipient for National Institute of Health funding in the U.S. — in fact, five of the top eight NIH - funded hospitals are within the Boston MSA. An outstanding educational system and high quality of life are just two reasons why Boston has such a diverse and youthful popu- lation — about one third of the city's population is between the ages of 20 and 35. Many of these energetic, young professionals work in the high-tech growth sec- tors of advanced manufacturing, clean energy, defense, IT, and life sciences/biomedicine. Mid -Size Cities — Population 160,000-600,000 Lafayette, Louisiana The Lafayette MSA was ranked 24th out of 200 metro areas in the Milken Institute's Best Performing Cities Index for 2012 — a jump of 69 spots over last year's placement. The city also ranked first in current job growth and second in five- year wage growth on Milken's list. And, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Lafayette MSA expe- rienced the largest increase in employment in the nation from December 2011 to December 2012 with an 8.6 percent gain. "The growth in Lafayette's economy over the past several years can be greatly attributed to steady growth Innovation. Technology. Investment. ...we are the "Centre" of it all! We want to hear from :you! Vern Squier, President/CEO vern@cbicc.org Mary Resides, Economic Development Assistant - mresides@cbicc.org CENTRE COUNTY INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Dream big. 200 Innovation Blvd. Suiten 150, State College, PA 168011P: (814) 235-1666 100 LOC for 2013 AREA DEVELOPMENT 1 Q2/Spring 2013 89 100 LEADING LOCATIONS for 2013 in the energy and healthcare industries, which account for 40 percent of the area's GDP," says Lafayette Economic Development Authority presi- City / MSA State 2010 Overall Population Rank 1 Fargo ND -MN 208777 1 2 Cedar Rapids IA 257940 3 3 Santa Barbara -Santa Maria -Goleta CA 423695 4 4 Norwich -New London CT 278598 5 5 Columbia MO 172766 7 6 Mobile AL 412992 12 7 Jackson MI 160248 13 8 Lafayette LA 273738 16 9 Augusta -Richmond County GA -SC 556677 17 10 Ann Arbor MI 344791 20 11 Holland -Grand Haven MI 263601 22 12 Santa Rosa -Petaluma CA 483678 23 13 Lake Charles LA 199607 24 14 Columbus GA -AL 294665 26 15 Manchester NH 187596 27 16 Roanoke VA 308707 32 17 Naples -Marco Island FL 321520 33 18 Gulfport -Biloxi MS 248620 34 19 Des Moines -West Des Moines IA 569633 36 20 Scranton -Wilkes-Barre PA 563631 37 TOP 20 MID SIZE CITIES - "Year Over Year Growth" City / MSA State 2010 Overall Population "Year -Over •Year Growth 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Lafayette Fargo Santa Rosa -Petaluma Boulder Framingham Corpus Christi Burlington -South Burlington San Luis Obispo -Paso Robles Des Moines -West Des Moines Bellingham Ann Arbor Anchorage Santa Barbara -Santa Maria -Goleta Mobile Gainesville Elkhart -Goshen Fayetteville -Springdale -Rogers Naples -Marco Island Holland -Grand Haven Houma -Bayou Cane -Thibodaux LA ND -MN CA CO MA TX VT CA IA WA MI AK CA AL GA IN AR -MO FL MI LA 273738 208777 483878 294567 263875 428165 198627 269637 569633 201140 344791 380621 423895 412992 179664 197559 463204 321520 263601 208178 1 4 6 10 13 16 17 16 20 21 23 24 26 27 26 32 33 33 44 45 dent and CEO Gregg Gothreaux. "These industries remain relatively recession -proof and will continue to contribute to Lafayette's steady economic growth, while providing an impetus for our growing finance and enter- tainment industries." The vibrant energy sector is a big reason Louisizna Plating and Coatings decided to open a $9 million. 80,000 -square -foot facility in Scott, just outside Lafayette, to provide comprehensive coating and pla- ing services for its clients, including many oilfield ser, - ing companies. The plant will employ 120 workers w � l� an annual local payroll estimated at $3 million. Fargo, North Dakota!m-mrk---H NI;n7=t- The economy is on the move in Fargo, with employ- ment in manufacturing growing by 4 percent, in back office by 5 percent, and in IT by an impressive 8.6 per- cent from 2011 to 2012. The unemployment rate for the Fargo -Moorhead MSA is about 4.7 percent, almost half the national unemployment rate of 8.5 percent during the recession. Major employers in town are Microsoft, Hitachi, John Deere, and Tech Mahindra, which set up operations last year. John Deere continues its expansion efforts with a TOP 20 MID SIZE CITIES - "Recession Busting" City l MSA State Population Overall "Recession Busting" Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Lafayette Fargo Framingham Springfield Waterloo -Cedar Falls Lubbock Corpus Christi Waco Abilene Houma -Bayou Cane -Thibodaux Anchorage Columbia Sioux Falls Amarillo Columbus Killeen -Temple -Fort Hood Laredo College Station -Bryan Burlington -South Burlington Tyler LA ND -MN MA IL IA TX TX TX TX LA AK MO SD TX GA -AL TX TX TX VT TX 273738 206777 263675 210170 167619 264690 426185 234906 165252 206178 360621 172786 226261 249681 294665 4 053 00 250304 226660 196627 209714 2 8 11 12 13 16 21 24 27 27 27 30 32 33 36 41 42 43 43 90 AREA DEVELOPMENT FOR FREE SITE INFORMATION, CALL 800-735-2732, EXT. 225, OR VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.AREADEVELOPMENT.COM new, $20 million, 90,000 -square -foot facility that opened in 2012. Horsch Anderson, a South Dakota company that manufactures agricultural equipment, will build an 110,000 -square -foot manufacturing facili- ty in Fargo, investing about $12.5 million and creating 80 jobs. With a combined enrollment of about 30,000 students, the three higher -education institutions in the area — North Dakota State University, Minnesota State University -Moorehead, and Concordia College — work with the private sector to create specific training programs for students who are interested in working in these industries. The recent addition of an American Airlines flight between Fargo and Dallas/Fort Worth has created better access to both national and international desti- nations, which improves Fargo's competitiveness as a place to do business. Direct flight options from Fargo include Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis -St. Paul, Orlando -Sanford, Phoenix -Mesa, and Salt Lake City. Holland -Grand Haven, Michigan Over the last two years the Lakeshore Region of Michigan has generated $41 million in industrial investment, creating 96 jobs and retaining 2,662 jobs. This region, which is anchored by Holland and Grand Haven, continues to outpace both the Midwest and the nation in sales growth. Over 77 percent of the region reported sales gains, compared to 59 percent for the Midwest and 57 percent for the U.S. According to "Michigan's Urban and Metropolitan Strategy" by the Brookings Institution, over 86 per- cent of regional companies have introduced new products in the past five years, compared to 81 per- cent for the Midwest and 78 percent for the nation as a whole. The Greater Holland area places second in Michigan for the number of patent applications per capita, nearly twice the national average. Holland development projects include Energetyx ($15 million, 500 jobs), Haworth ($10 million, 450 jobs), Johnson Controls-Saft ($220 million, 450 jobs), and Lean Logistics ($3.3 million, 580 jobs). Energetyx uses composite material technology to manufacture windmill blades for wind energy installations. LG Chem, a South Korea -based advanced battery manu- facturer, plans to produce its first lithium -ion cells for the automotive industry from its $300 million factory in Holland this year. ING TIONS for 2013 San Angelo, Tx G 7.4.?__RCE BASE Blending this Texas secret with your business is the key to your success. 1 SANANGELO Chamber of Commerce Economic Development AREA OEVELOPMENT 1 Q2/Spring 2013 91 100 LEADING LOCATIONS for 2013 Small Cities — Population <160 000 Odessa, Texas Located in the energy -rich Permian Basin, Odessa's economy is fueled by oil and gas — especially from unconventional shale plays. Oil and gas companies include Halliburton, Weatherford CPS, and Holloman Construction. Recent announce- ments include Chevron's plans to build a $100 million campus and Pioneer Natural Resources' plans for a $50 million office building. The University of Texas of the Permian Basin, the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, and Odessa College all play important roles in expanding the energy u r,ealthcare sectors in Odessa, including research into wind, solar, clean coal, and nuclear energy technologies. City / MSA State 2010 Overall Population Rank 1 Odessa WNW 137130 3 2 Columbus IN 7 67 94 4 3 Midland [ TX 136872 7 4 Bismarck ND 106779 10 5 Dubuque ' [ IA 93653 12 6 Casper WY 75450 14 7 Sandusky ' r OH 77079 15 8 Morgantown WV 12 97 09 20 9 Elizabethtown 'r KY 119736 23 10 Victoria TX 115384 25 11 Cheyenne —M r WY 91738 26 12 Ames IA 89542 38 13 Fairbanks ' r AK 97581 46 14 St. Joseph MO -KS 127329 50 15 San Angelo 'r— TX 111823 51 16 State College PA 153990 68 17 Lewiston —' ID -WA 60688 711 18 Williamsport PA 116111 72 19 Texarkana L AR 136027 77 20 La Crosse WI -MN 133665 89 21 Lima OH 106331 96 22 Iowa City IA 152586 105 23 Pocatello ID 90656 106 24 MountVernon-Anacortes WA 116901 109 25 Ithaca NY 101564 110 26 Corvallis OR 85579 111 27 Logan 3 UT -ID 125442 117 28 Owensboro KY 114752 124 29 Billings MT 158050 126 30 Jefferson City MO 149607 130 In 2012 Odessa placed 95th on Forbes list of the best small places for business and careers. Although the Odessa economy grew at the torrid pace of 14.4 per- cent in 2012, the growth rate is expected to be closer 6 percent this year. The improved economy has stimuli r1 TOP 20 SMALL CITIES Economic Strength Factors City/MSA State Population Overall "Economic" Rank Midland Columbus Odessa Bismarck Dubuque Victoria Fairbanks Sandusky Morgantown Casper Cheyenne Texarkana San Angelo Williamsport Mount Vernon-Anacortes Ames Hinesville-Fort Stewart Elizabethtown Lewiston State College 1 TX IN TX ND IA TX AK OH 909 WY WY AR TX PA WA IA GA KY ID -WA PA 136872 76794 137130 106779 93653 115384 97581 77079 129709 75450 91738 136027 111823 116111 116901 89542 77917 119736 60888- 153990 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 3 7 11 13 16 21 1 33 42 43 1 46 46 49 55 60 69 TOP 20 SMALL CITIES Prime Workforce Growth City/MSA State 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 `15 16 17 18 19 20 Lebanon Morgantown Columbus Cape Girardeau -Jackson Bend Pueblo Odessa Mankato -North Mankato Elizabethtown Farmington State College Auburn -Opelika Owensboro Flagstaff Steubenville -Weirton Williamsport Cleveland Ocean City Wheeling 1 E F PA WV IN MO -IL OR CO TX MN KY NM PA AL KY AZ OH -WV PA TN NJ WV -OH 2010 Overall Population Rank 133568 12 97 09 76794 96275 157733 159063 137130 96740 119736 130044 153990 140247 114752 134421 124454 116111 115788 97265 147950 6 14 17 21 29 35 41 42 44 46 49 65 66 66 69 73 74 76 1 92 AREA DEVELOPMENT FOR FREE SITE INFORMATION, CALL 800-735-2732, EXT. 225, OR VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.AREADEVELOPMENT.COM ed a number of construction projects in the city, includ- ing three new elementary schools, $68 million in capital improvements, and new science and nursing buildings at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin; a new engi- neering building is also being discussed. Columbus, Indiana Columbus is known for its manufacturing expertise and engineering strengths. Fortune 200 diesel- engine–maker Cummins Inc. is headquartered here, employing more than 7,000 workers. The city is also a national leader in foreign direct investment — 21 Japanese companies, including NTN, Enkei, and Toyota Industrial Equipment, employ nearly 5,000 workers. Toyota Material Handling USA recently announced it would relocate its headquarters from California to Columbus. Other global com- panies with an R&D presence in town include Faurecia (emission control systems) and child safe- ty seat manufacturer Dore! Juvenile Group. Local employers draw from a 35 -mile commuting popula- tion of 1.7 million and an 884,000 -person labor force. With 35 percent of local employment tied directly to manufacturing, the one -county MSA is among the top 3 per- cent of all counties for manu- facturing strength and has more mechanical engineers per worker than any other U.S. city. Columbus ranked fourth in the nation for its GDP growth in 2010 and fifth highest in 2011 among all U.S. metros, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Columbus has averaged one expansion announcement per month since 2010, resulting in more than 1,800 direct jobs and $170 million in capital investments. Among the newest addi- tions is the Phoenix Group, which has selected Columbus for a $150 million, 468,000 -square -foot distri- bution facility. Midland, Texas According to the United States Census Bureau, the OKLAHOMA OTY DELIVERS OPPORTUNITY: For generations, it is what has defined America. Today, it is what Oklahoma City delivers. Whether you're looking for the best city to build a business, raise a family or find a job, OKC's your place to be. In Oklahoma City, we make it easy to find your own success. Check us out and see why we say in OKC, it's a better living and a better life. ❑� t ❑� ❑� Explore OKC's new digital magazine and channel at GreaterOKCty For mobile users AREA DEVELOPMENT Q2/Spring 2013 93 100 LEADING LOCATIONS for 2013 fastest-growing metropolitan area in the country is Midland, with a 4.6 percent increase in population between July 2011 and July 2012. Located 300 miles west of Dallas, Midland is in the Permian Basin, where deep horizontal drilling has created another oil and gas rush. With a booming energy economy, plans are under way for the "Energy Tower" — a 53 -story skyscraper that will be the sixth -tallest building in Texas and include offices, residential space, shopping, dining, and a five-star hotel. Midland will also be the headquarters for XCOR Aerospace's new commercial spaceflight and R&D center. XCOR manufactures reusable rocket engines for major aerospace prime contractors and is the designer, manufacturer, and operator of the Lynx, a fully reusable, high-performance suborbital space vehi- cle that is designed to safely carry two persons or scien- tific experiments to the edge of space and back. "XCOR's Research and Development Center head- quarters will add economic diversity to Midland, along with $12 million in new payroll and capital investment over the next five years and an estimated average annual wage of over $60,000 per job," says Laura TOP 20 SMALL CITIES - "Year - Over Year Growth City/MSA 1 Columbus 2 Odessa 3 Bismarck 4 Morgantown 5 Victoria 6 Dubuque 7 St. Joseph 8 Ames 9 Sandusky 10 San Angelo 11 Ithaca' 12 Midland 13 Billings 14 Kokomo 15 Santa Fe 16 Bend 17 Lima 18 Pocatello 19 Cheyenne 20 Idaho Falls II State 2010 Overall Population "Year -Over •Year" Growth 11, IN TX • ND WV 1[ TX IA MO -KS IA OH TX NY TX • MT IN NM OR ▪ OH ID • WY ID 76794 137130 108779 129709 115384 93653 127329 89542 77079 111823 101564 136872 158050 98688 144170 157733 106331 90656 91738 130374 11 14 19 35 38 41 42 43 48 52 55 61 72 75 77 80 83 64 66 66 Roman, chairman of the Midland Development Corporation. Economic Growth/ Year -over -Year Growth Maintaining strong economic growth — and do.: so year after year — is the mark of a well-managed community. It's also an incredible challenge, espe,. II when there are so many variables and pitfalls that can derail economic growth, which are often beyond the control of the city or region. Cities with economic strength factors and year-ov-. year economic growth tap into strategic management plans that minimize these economic risks by diversifyincl their economic base, building strong public-private partnerships, strengthening their education systems, and developing multi -skilled work forces that attract high-growth industries. Strong leadership and a com- mon vision are also required at local, regional, and state levels to carry out economic development with the future in mind — especially when resistance is strong (i.e., doing things the "old way"). In addition to taking care of traditional industries and major employers, forward -thinking communities must TOP 20 SMALL CITIES - "Recession -Busting" City/MSA State Population Overall "Recession Busting" Rank 1 2 Odessa Bismarck Midland 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 L 1 Dubuque Fairbanks Casper Columbus State College Cheyenne Morgantown Texarkana Williamsport Elizabethtown La Crosse San Angelo Lewiston Rapid City Hinesuille-Fort Stewart Sandusky Jonesboro L f 1 11 TX ND TX IA AK WY IN PA WY WV AR PA KY WI -MN TX ID -WA SD GA OH AR 137130 108779 3 136872 1 1111 93653 6 I97S8fj 75450 9 L767941 1 1 4 1 53 990 18 91738' 20 129709 22 136027 1 L23 116111 24 1197361 L 35 133665 37 1118231[38 60888 39 126382 1 77917 47 77 079 ] L 50 1 21 026 50 94 AREA DEVELOPMENT FOR FREE SITE INFORMATION, CALL 800-735-2732, EXT. 225, OR VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.AREADEVELOPMENT.COM be willing to invest in programs and initiatives that attract high-growth, knowledge-based industries and expand educational opportunities. Not only will these "high-tech" companies broaden the tax base, they will be of more interest to Generation X and Generation Y pulations, improving the chances that these eager, productive young adults will stay and help grow their communities. Leveraging Expertise: These cities know how to leverage their core strengths to build economic momentum. Ames, Iowa, for example, has a long histo- ry of agriculture and manufacturing. The city and Iowa State University have worked together to build on this history and develop and support prosperous sectors in animal health, food processing, plant science, and advanced manufacturing. The Ames Economic Development Commission's (AEDC) five-year plan focuses on building key infrastructure, supporting busi- ness growth, and collaborating with Iowa State University Research Park on new ventures. AEDC has also developed its Workforce Development Initiative (WDI) that will target high-value projects and train skilled workers for a variety of industries. AEDC recently awarded $210,000 and a package of tax benefits to assist local manufacturer Amcor Rigid Plastics with a $24 million expansion that will add new equipment, support nearly 100 jobs, and improve the company's competitiveness. "In order to remain a play- er in the market, it is imperative that we stay on top of new advancements and AEDC is helping us do this," says Sheridan Attig, Amcor's director of purchasing services. Technology -Driven: Cities that exhibit economic strength and deliver year -over -year improvements tend to have diversified economies that blend traditional and knowledge-based industries. Not only do they support and update traditional industries, they nurture and development high-tech sectors like information and computer technology OCT), nanotechnology, biotechnol- ogy, medical devices, and advanced manufacturing. This is a big reason Gainesville, Georgia, has been ranked by Forbes as one of the "Best Small Places for Business "Louisiana's custom -fit solutions enabled us to begin our mega -project 6 to 12 months sooner than planned." ANDRE DE RUYTER 1 SASOL NORTH AMERICAN PRESIDENT © LOW -TAX ADVANTAGE 2nd lowest taxes in the nation for new firms and 10th lowest for mature firms Expansion, relocation or start up? Discover the Louisiana advantage at OpportunityLouisiana.com TARGETED INCENTIVES Custom -fit incentive program ranked No. 2 in the nation by Area Development UNRIVALED ACCESS Six deepwater and 33 shallow draft ports combine with six Class 1 railways to create an unrivaled logistics network #1 WORKFORCE TRAINING LED FastStart° ranked top U.S. workforce training program three years in a row gni LOUISIANA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AREA DEVELOPMENT 1 Q2/Spring 2013 95 100 LEADING LOCATIONS for 2013 and Careers" over the last three years. The city was also ranked by the Milken Institute as the 39th best -performing small city in 2012, a 62 -place jump over its 2011 position. Gainesville is home to 47 Fortune 500 firms and more than 300 manufacturing and processing companies. In FY 2012-2013, 24 new and expanded businesses with a total capital investment of $203 million created 1,660 '-s and retained 1,530 existing jobs. These companies include Atlanta Biologicals, KIK Custom Products, ProCare Rx, Bitzer, Yazaki, ElringKlinger, Kubota, Atex, IMS Gear, Zebra Technologies, and Lupold. Keeping Costs Down: Companies want to see seri- ous commitment when it comes to reducing business costs and red tape — especially during uncertain eco- nomic times. Cities that do not make the effort to cre- ate a friendly, proactive tax and regulatory climate will be left behind. It is essential to create meaningful incer- tives that make sense to prospective companies — especially streamlining start-up costs, subsidizing wort - er training, and providing other benefits that addres: special needs and facilitate growth. Nashville, Tennessee, is at the forefront of cost con- trol. According to a study by KPMG LLP, Nashville was the second least -costly city in which to do business among 13 locations in the United States with populations COMMENTARY Shifting Gears: Companies Once Again Considering Out -of -Footprint Locations By Eric Stavriotis, MANAGING DIRECTOR, Business and Economic Incentives (BEI) Group Jones Lang LaSalle As the U.S. economy slowly recovers from the recession, this year's "Leading Locations" research reflects a change in site selection behavior that matches what we are seeing in the field. Companies are once again moving outside their existing footprints, following a long period of looking inward. The search for the ideal combination of work force, facilities, and cost is leading many to seek a happy medium — often between the East and West coasts. Until recently, increased scrutiny on costs created a very high "risk premium" for out -of -footprint sites. Given capital constraints, the short-term savings of staying within the existing footprint outweighed other long-term considerations. If a manufacturing concern planned to expand, for example, it would invest in an existing site — even if an out -of -footprint location offered a superior combination of attributes. As evidenced by the Leading Locations research, companies are continuing to migrate from higher cost to lower-cost locations, but are not restricting their options to existing sites. Winning locations include cities in the Heartland, as well as inland western and eastern U.S. locations where real estate and labor costs can be 10 to 30 percent lower than in the major coastal cities. Of the top 50 Leading Location markets, only 12 are coastal markets. The remainder are toward the middle, a finding that aligns with what we are seeing among our clients. Top 50 cities such as Columbus, Ind.; Austin; Holland, Mich.; and Oklahoma City, for instance, offer less expensive land and facilities costs than the coasts, but also provide different kinds of work force capabilities. Thirty-eight of the top 50 are in the "flyover" states, areas that many companies avoided in the past. Midwest cities dominate the top 100 overall rankings, capturing 24.25 percent of this group. Work force considerations are also affecting some location decisions. For instance, Omaha -Council Bluffs ranks among the top 10 leading "Big Cities," and jumps dramatically up the overall rankings, from 133 last year to 21 this year. While Omaha may not have been traditionally viewed as a large Tier 1 market in the United States, major corporations such as PayPal, TD Ameritrade, Yahoo, and Google have been making substantial investments in Omaha for years. The resurgence of manufacturing in the United States has made work force development a key selection factor for manufacturing concerns facing labor short- ages. States and cities that have aggressively invested in work force development programs are winning the competition for these companies. In fact, the return of manufacturing jobs has led some secondary markets out of the recession. While most of the top 20 overall markets are characterized by technology and "knowledge worker" companies or by the energy boom, Columbus, Ind.; Holland -Grand Haven, Mich.; and Dubuque, Iowa are among the cities that are thriving largely because of major manufactur- ing companies such as Cummins, Johnson Controls, Herman Miller Furniture, Whirlpool, and others. 96 AREA DEVELOPMENT FOR FREE SITE INFORMATION, CALL 800-735-2732, EXT. 225, OR VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.AREADEVELOPMENT.COM between one million and two million. Nashville's cost of doing business is 88.5 percent of the national average. Forbes recently ranked Nashville as the third -best -posi- tioned city "to grow and prosper in the corning decade." The state of Tennessee also has no personal income tax. Utah is another top-ranked state for economic per- formance. In December 2012 it was ranked as best state for business and careers by Forbes for the third consecutive year — noted especially for its low business costs, top-notch labor force, regulatory environment, and growth prospects. Utah's incentive programs include a refundable tax credit for up to 30 percent of new state tax revenue over the life of a proj- ect, as well as generous grants for creating high -paying jobs. Salt Lake City, for example, is a leader in both economic strength and year -over -year economic growth (2011-2012). The city invests millions of dol- lars every year in infrastructure improvements and is increas- ingly known for its advanced manufacturing, aerospace, and ICT sectors. FireEye, a provider of advanced IT security programs headquartered in California, recently announced it would build a $2 million facility in Salt Lake County, creating about 250 new jobs. Salt Lake City - based Boeing is planning to add high-tech manufacturing jobs at its Utah operations to increase its composite manu- facturing capacity. Boeing will also hire about 100 new employees to meet increased production demands. Utah's Department of Workforce Services and the Industrial Assistance Fund will provide up to $225,000 for specialty train- ing and up to $100,000 in "WorkKeys" funding, a national program that gives companies more control in determining the skill sets of potential new employees. "Boeing's reputation for innovation and leadership has in part helped Utah gain a reputation as one of the leading states for business," says Spencer Eccles, executive director of the Governor's Office of Economic Development. "We look forward to seeing what this new project will bring." BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS: Economic Development Solutions in North Carolina Proven, comprehensive economic development solutions in North Carolina. North Carolina's Public Power communities are among the best places in the country to live and do business. ElectriCities' seasoned, experienced Economic Development staff is dedicated to helping these communities continue to grow and prosper. From site selection to targeted recruiting to grant assistance and marketing, we've got all the tools and expertise you need to successfully develop your business. Brenda Daniels Manager, Economic Development 800.768.7697, ext. 6363 bdaniels@electricities.org www.electricities.com Silver Shovel Award Winne ELECTRI of NORTH CARO The energy behind pu ITIES INA, I N C. lc power AREA DEVELOPMENT 1 Q2/Spring 2013 97 — I MA 2638741 1 100 LEADING LOCATIONS for 2013 Prime Work Force Growth Labor is a top considera- tion for any company that wants to move or expand its operations. Because labor is typically one of the highest operating costs, companies are also eager to select a location with a highly skilled, plentiful work force that can easily fill the often -specialized jobs the new facility requires, with minimal turnover. Although plenty of Americans are looking for work, they often don't have the right combination of skill sets for many open positions, leaving HR managers frustrat- ed. These days, most jobs require some level of post- secondary education, as well as computer skills. In order to fulfill business' needs and also make themselves stand out from the crowd, more communi- ties are partnering with regional and state government agencies to provide highly trained labor pools — Top 5 New England Cities City/MSA State Population Overall Rank r1 Framingham 2 1.1 4 111 Boston -Cambridge -Quincy BurlinBurlington Barnstable Town MA . VT MA 1111 MA 2663943 239675 X6481 11 93 111 Top 15 Mid Atlantic Cities 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Washington - Bethesda -Rockville -Frederick State Colleg Williamsport Pittsburgh New York -White Plains -Wayne Ithac Erie Scranton --Wilkes-Barre Reading Lebanon Ocean City Albany -Schenectady -Troy Trenton -Ewing Cumberland DC -VA -MD -WV MD K_PA PA ^ NY -NJ PA PA NJ NJ 4377008 1205162 153990 116111 2356285 11576251 •01564 280566 163631 411442 133568 97265 iii37 366513 103299 19 40 61 72 81 97 110 129 1 143 150 165 167 167 designed to attract targeted, high-growth industries that will hopefully become good, long-term partners. By supporting specific industries, and developing the high- ly skilled workers these businesses require, cities increase their chances of keeping the employers they already have, as well as bringing in other companies that will create more jobs and build the tax base. Kokomo, Indiana, is a good example — with its long history of automotive manufacturing, the state knows how important this industry is to its economy and works hard to support the automotive sector. Recently the Indiana Economic Development Corporation announced it would award Chrysler Group up to $11.5 million in con- ditional tax credits and up to $200,000 in training grants to assist with a $374 million expansion of its operations in Kokomo, creating up to 1,250 new jobs by 2015. Training Programs: Other states — such as South Carolina, Louisiana, and Texas — have created highly - respected, innovative work force training programs that can sometimes "close the deal" when it's time to make the final decision on a location. In South Carolina, ReadySCTM provides compre- hensive and customized training solutions for quality ing companies that are investing in the state. Louisiana Economic Development's FastStart® pro gram offers employee recruiting, screening, and Top 20 Midwest Cities City/MSA State Population Overall Rank 1 Colum 2 Holland -Grand Haven 3 Dubuqu 4 Sandusky MiMm MI OH 263801 77079 6 El 15 111 20 6 Des Moines -West Des Moines amity 8 Ann Arbor t.Joseph 10 Appleton IA MI WI Jackson 12 Cincinnati -Middletown 'TT 71,761 14 Lafayette 1rRapids 1.11 16 Akron cart -Goshen 18 Canton -Massillon wiiiikeapolis-St. Paul -Bloomington J 20 La Crosse OH -KY -IN IN OH EnlIM OH NlN-WI WI -MN 569633 9542 344791 29 225666 160248 2130151 `72786 201789 257940 703200 11197559 404422 3279833 133665 36 36- 39 50 53 85S 55 sr 60 63 66 78 79 81 89 98 AREA DEVELOPMENT FOR FREE SITE INFORMATION, CALL 800-735-2732, EXT. 225, OR VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.AREADEVELOPMENT.COM Top 15 Southern Cities City/MSA State Population Overall Rank 1 2 Lafayette Elizabethtown Houma -Bayou Cane -Thibodaux Louisville -Jefferson County Fayetteville -Springdale -Rogers Lake Charles Knoxville Texarkana Mobile Nashville -Davidson -Murfreesboro -Franklin Chatta Monroe Baton Rouge Kingsport -Bristol -Bristol 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Clarksville LAk• KY • LA • KY -IN • AR -MO - LA `TN a AR -A- TN LA TN -VA .2737381 - 119736 23 208178 24 1 1283566 35 463204 43, 199607 54 698030 • 136027 77 412992 • 1589934 82 528143 • 176441 87 802484 881 309544 99 2739491 - Top 15 South Atlantic Cities City / MSA State Population Overall Rank ▪ Morgantown 2 Columbus 1.3 Durham -Chapel Hill • WV • `129709 l GA -AL 294865 45 NC • t04357 5. 4 Charlotte -Gastonia -Rock Hill NC -SC 1758038 Is Charleston -North Charleston-Summervil - 6 Gainesville 17 Spartanburn 8 Naples -Marco Island Columbi 10 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford I11 Jacksonville 12 Huntington -Ashland 113 Hinesville-Fort Stewart 14 Savannah •Orlando -Kissimmee -Sanford SC • •64607 GA 179684 MUG D84307 FL 321520 _C- 167598 VA 162958 58 91 95 10. 113 _C- •77772 11. WV -KY -OH 287702 119 —A- • 77917 135 GA 347611 144 •34411 1 - Whatever your needs, consider Bismarck -Mandan, North Dakota, andall it has to offer. L.J. C._Waal NORTH DAKOTA CAPITOL • Convenient location Bismarck -Mandan sits at the intersection of US 1-94 and US Highway 83. • Diversified economy From energy to healthcare, manufacturing to agriculture, technology to tourism, there's a place for you in Bismarck -Mandan. • Access to government The State Capitol in Bismarck offers direct contact with regulatory agencies and elected officials. • Well-rounded community Whether for business orfamily, Bismarck -Mandan offers available work force, quality educational institutions, state-of-the-art healthcare, recreational opportunities year-round, and a safe atmosphere to live, work and rase a family. BISMARCK-MANDAN DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION Contact the Bismarck -Mandan Development Association (BMDA) at 701.222.5530 or into@bmda.org or visit www.bisman.org. AREA DEVELOPMENT Q2/Spr'mg 2013 99 OR 100 LEADING LOCATIONS for 2013 training solutions for compa- nies that meet its job -cre- ation requirements. Training covers a wide range of sub- jects, including specific processes and procedures, advanced technologies, computer skills, and organi- zational management. In Texas, the Texas Workforce Commission's Skills Development Fund provides grants to community and technical colleges to cus- tomize job -training programs for qualifying appli- cants. In Fiscal Year 2012, 50 grants totaling more than $22 million helped assist nearly 20,000 workers. CoServ, a company that finds workers for the electri- cal industry, recently received a $162,000 grant from the Texas Workforce Commission that was used to train 143 people to work as electrical engineers, meter read- ers, power line installers, and support staff. "These resources were critical in helping us recruit and retain a sustainable talent pool of employees for this industry," comments Dennis Engelke, director of Member and Employee Relations for CoServ. Top 10 Mountain Cities City / MSA State Population Overall Rank 1 Casper 2 Cheyenne 3 Boulder 4 Salt Lake City 5 Boise City -Nampa 6 Denver -Aurora -Broomfield L7 Fort Collins Loveland 8 Provo -Orem 10 Pocatello WY WY CO UT CO UT M ID 75450 91738 .94561 1124197 •i16561 2543482 11996301 526810 ■60888 90656 Top 5 Plains Cities 26 El 46 61 62. 64 El 106 I ' 2 4 ■ Fargo Bismarck _CoUnciI Bluffs Sioux Falls `ND -MN ND 11E-1 SD & 208777 7 108779 865350 226261 302157 El 10 JI 37 Recession -Busting Cities Bouncing back from the Great Recession hasn't been easy — many cities are still struggling to regal' high-quality job growth and economic prosperity. Area Development looked at several key economic indicator; to identify the top -10 "recession -busting" cities that are having the most success in rebooting their economies and creating good -paying jobs. A big reason these cities are successful is that they focus on their core assets and work hard to create posi- tive business climates and recruit new companies — Top 15 Pacific Cities City / MSA State Population Overall Rank 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 L9 10 11 12 13 14 15 San Jose -Sunnyvale -Santa Clara ■ San Francisco -San Mateo -Redwood City Santa Rosa -Petaluma Bellingham Santa Barbara -Santa Maria -G Seattle -Bellevue -Everett Fairbanks Portland -Vancouver -Hillsboro Anchorall San Luis Obispo -Paso Robles San Diego -Carlsbad -San Marcos' Mount Vernon-Anacortes WA CA CA _AEI NOME WA WA OR -WA t�17 CA Corval li- Santa Cruz -Watsonville Honolulu CA 6911 1776095 ■483878 201140 123895 2644584 . 97561 2226009 380821 269637 `3095313 116901 W579 262362 ▪ 53207 16 32 34 1 47 48 65 6h1 74 98 109 111 123 JI Top 15 Southwest Cities 7 2 3 4 5 6 I7 8 9 10 11 12 13 LX�14 1ldessa Austin -Round Rock -San Marcos Midland Oklahoma City Tu Dallas -Plano -Irving Corpus Christi Victoria Houston -Sugar Land-Baytowi Longview Sannlomo- ewBraunfels Waco Fort Worth -Arlington Amarillo San Angelo TX .3713) TX 1716289 6 i® OK 1252987 13 OK TX 4235751 16 2618. TX 115384 25 '59468001 La TX 214369 31 •142508 TX 234906 42 12136022] El TX 249881 49 •111821 SEM 100 AREA DEVELOPMENT FOR FREE SITE INFORMATION, CALL 800-735-2732, EXT. 225, OR VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.AREADEVELOPMENT.COM especially keeping costs down for both established companies and new startups. For example, last year Oklahoma City was named the least -costly city to do business among 13 mid-sized U.S. cities, according to KPMG. Oklahoma City's cost index of 95.5 was significantly lower than the average U.S. index of 100.0. Cost advantages for labor, facility leases, expenses, and taxes contributed to the city's favorable ranking. "Oklahoma City's cost-effectiveness makes this a great place to do business," says Roy H. Williams, presi- dent and CEO of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber. "Across all business sectors, the low cost of living and the availability of business incentives provides a secure environment for businesses to flourish." In South Carolina, Charleston was recently ranked ninth out of 100 U.S. cities for job recovery by the Brookings Institution, as well as 23rd for recovery from the recession. This quick rebound is in large part due to its diversified economy, friendly business climate, work force recruitment and training programs, favorable tax structures, and special discretionary incentives for quali- fying projects. The willingness of local and state govern- ments to work pro -actively with business is a big reason North Charleston -based Boeing Company has commit- ted to investing $1 billion in its operations and hiring up to 2,000 workers over the next eight years. Another recession -busting city that is working hard to build a pro-business tax climate and reduce the cost of doing business is Dubuque, Iowa. Incentives include effective worker training programs and proj- ect -specific work force recruitment campaigns. The city's innovative certificate training and scholarship program entitled "Opportunity Dubuque" was recent- ly honored by the Mid-America Economic Development Council (MAEDC) for its success in upgrading skills and creating a talented work force for advanced manufacturing industries. "Our robust work force initiatives have allowed us to minimize the risk for key decision -makers considering Dubuque for future business needs and potential work force," says Rick Dickinson, president and CEO of the Greater Dubuque Development Corporation. "Opportunity Dubuque is a critical work force solution for existing businesses looking to expand, as well as prospective clients weighing Dubuque against other locations around the globe." 100 Leading Locations Report Sponsors FLORIDA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION OF FLORIDA'S SPACE COAST From the dawn of NASA to the future of commercial space, Florida's Space Coast is America's high-tech titan. But our vibrant economy goes well beyond space, to aviation, communications, electronics, manufacturing, emerging technologies, and more — all enhanced by our skilled work force, attractive tax code, competitive wages, and unbeatable quality of life. Gregory J. Weiner, CEcD Senior Director, Business Development gweiner@spacecoastedc.org info@spacecoastedc.org www.SpaceCoastEDC.org GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE ALLIANCE Greater Fort Lauderdale offers "Life Less Taxing" to more than 150 corporate and international regional headquarters including AutoNation, Citrix, DHL, Emerson, Microsoft, and Nipro Diagnostics through a cost -competitive busi- ness climate and no state personal income tax, combined with robust domestic and international air and seaports and exceptional quality of life. Robin Ronne Managing Director, CEO Council Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance 110 East Broward Boulevard, Suite 1990 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 954-627-0126 pdoty@gflalIiance.org www.Iesstaxing.com INDIANA COLUMBUS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD Columbus, Indiana, is known for its manufacturing prowess, engineering strengths, and world-renowned architecture. Significant job growth has recently occurred at Cummins Inc., Toyota Industrial Equipment and its sister firm Toyota Material Handling USA, as well as many other companies. More information on recent corporate relocations and expansions is available on our website. Jason Hester, CEcD – Executive Director Columbus Economic Development Board 500 Franklin Street Columbus, IN47201 812-378-7300 Fax: 812-372-6756 jhester@columbusin.org http://www.ColumbusIN.org SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter: @ColumbusEconDev LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (LEDA) Lafayette is a medical, energy, transportation, entertainment, education, and retail hub in the heart of South Louisiana. Lafayette's entrepreneurial spirit fosters a diverse and thriving economy. Through innovative collaborations with business, government, and education, LEDA strives to expand the community's business base for future growth and development. Gregg Gothreaux, President and CEO Lafayette Economic Development Authority (LEDA) 211 East Devalcourt Street Lafayette, LA 70506 337-593-1400 Fax: 337-234-3009 www.lafayette.org SOCIAL MEDIA: www.facebook.com/lafayettela Twitter: @LEDALafayetteLA www.linkedin.com/company/lafayette-economic-development-authority AREA DEVELOPMENT 1 Q2/Spring 2013 101 NORTH DAKOTA BISMARCK-MANDAN DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION The Bismarck -Mandan Development Association provides businesses and site consultants with assistance in relocation and expansion opportunities through- out the MSA that includes all of Burleigh and Morton counties in North Dakota. Home to a robust diversified economy, Bismarck -Mandan offers a business - friendly environment, reliable work force, and well-rounded community. Brian Ritter Bismarck -Mandan Development Association P.O. Box 2615 400 E. Broadway, Ste. 417 Bismarck, ND 58501 701-222-5530 britter@bmda.org or info@bmda.org www.bisman.org OKLAHOMA GREATER OKLAHOMA CITY CHAMBER The list of reasons to locate in Oklahoma City is growing — almost as quickly as the list of reasons why people love living here. In Greater OKC, we under- stand that partnership among business, government, EDOs, and civic leaders is integral to our success. Let us introduce you to Greater Oklahoma City — a region that has redefined itself for the future. Kurt Foreman, Executive Vice President, Economic Development Greater Oklahoma City Chamber 123 Park Avenue Oklahoma City, OK 73102 405-297-8945 kforeman@okcchamber.com www.greaterokc.tv SOCIAL MEDIA: https://twitter.com/GreaterOKC https://www.facebook.com/GreaterOKC http://www.I in kedin.com/pub/g reater-oklahoma-city- chamber/13/bb8/3b8?goback=.hom.a i l TULSA REGIONAL CHAMBER The Tulsa Regional Chamber's economic development division is the primary regional economic development organization representing the Tulsa Metro and Northeast Oklahoma area. The Tulsa Region balances convenience, afford- ability, a great quality of life, and a pro-business atmosphere. Justin McLaughlin, CEcD Senior Vice President, Economic Development Tulsa Regional Chamber One West Third Street, Ste. 100 Tulsa OK 74103 918-560-0240 or 800-624-6822 jmclaughlin@tulsachamber.com www.growmetrotulsa.com PENNSYLVANIA CHAMBER OF BUSINESS & INDUSTRY CENTRE COUNTY (CBICC) Being so close to Penn State University with access to its resources, and having a flourishing high-tech business sector, Centre County is home to businesses that offer a thriving and varied job market. With beautiful mountains, friendly communities and top-notch schools, Centre County is the perfect place to live, work and raise a family. The CBICC is a valuable tool to learn about opportu- nities within the region. Vern Squier, CEO Centre County Industrial Development 200 Innovation Boulevard, Suite 150 State College, PA 16803 814-234-1829 vern@cbicc.org www.cbicc.org SOCIAL MEDIA: https://www.facebook.com/cbicc https://twitter.com/CBICC TENNESSEE KNOXVILLE -OAK RIDGE INNOVATION VALLEY Knoxville -Oak Ridge Innovation Valley in East Tennessee is home to over 75 corporate headquarters and is a major hub for manufacturing and innovation with world-class research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Tennessee. Doug Lawyer, Vice President of Economic Development Knoxville Oak Ridge Innovation Valley 7 Market Square #201 Knoxville, TN 37902 865-637-4550 dlawyer@knoxvillechamber.com www.knoxvilleoakridge.com SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook: Knoxville Oak Ridge Innovation Valley Twitter: KnoxOakRidgelV TEXAS AMARILLO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION The Amarillo EDC's mission is to promote business expansion in the greater Amarillo area that builds a stronger, more diversified economy. Companies choose Amarillo because of a motivated work force, modern infrastructure, supportive business climate, competitive tax rates, competitively priced energy, and an exceptional quality of life. Over the past 24 years, the Amarillo EDC has engaged in more than 100 projects with more than 100 companies, building a Portfolio of Success. Richard (Buzz) David, President & CEO Amarillo Economic Development Corporation 801 S. Fillmore, Suite 205 Amarillo, TX 806-379-6411 Fax: 806-371-0112 buzz@amarilloedc.com www.amarilloedc.com SOCIAL MEDIA: https://www.facebook.com/Amari I IoEDC https://twitter.com/AmarilloEDC http://www.I in ked in.com/company/2278053?goback=.fcs_GLHD_amar- illo-redc false *2 *2 *2 *2 *2 *2 *2 *2 *2 *2 *2 *2&trk=ncsrch hits CITY OF AUSTIN The Austin metropolitan area is home to 1.7 million residents and offers a prized quality of life, talented work force, and extraordinary business opportu- nities. Austin Energy's Economic Growth and Redevelopment Office supports expansions and locations to the area through a number of economic develop- ment programs. Ben Ramirez, Interim Economic Development Program M City of Austin Economic Growth and Redevelopment Services Office 301 W. 2nd Street Austin, Texas 78704 512-974-7819 Fax: 512-974-7825 ben.ramirez@austintexas.gov www.austintexas.gov/economicgrowth SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter: @ econvitalityATX anager ❑�]u ❑� GREATER AUSTIN CHAMBER OF CHAMBER Austin hosts an educated, bilingual, multi -tiered work force and a passion for success. Our population offers skill sets that range from high-end technology design, development, and marketing to back-office operations. Our dynamic business ecosystem provides consistent job growth for some of the most successful companies. Dave Porter Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce 535 East 5th Street Austin, D( 78701 512-322-5650 dporter@austinchamber.com www.austinchamber.com 102 AREA DEVELOPMENT FOR FREE SITE INFORMATION, CALL 800-735-2732, EXT. 225, OR VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.AREADEVELOPMENT.COM ODESSA DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Specific strengths of Odessa include a nonunion and skilled labor force, a mid-continent location in the Central Time Zone where government works for business, and an extremely favorable climate. An Enterprise Zone leads the way toward revitalization and reinvestment. With a fully developed industrial park and the economic development sales tax, Odessa has the competitive edge when it comes to working with new businesses that want to make West Texas their home. Guy Andrews, Director of Economic Development Odessa Development Corporation 700 N. Grant, Ste. 200 Odessa, TX 79761 432-333-7880 GuyA@odessaecodev.com http://odessatex.com/ SAN ANGELO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE San Angelo is a metro area of 110,000 population located in West Central Texas. Major economic sectors include manufacturing, medical, military, busi- ness services, and energy. San Angelo is a regional shopping, entertainment, and medical center. The community boasts a commercial airport, university, air force base, and an incentive program for business assistance. John Dugan, VP Marketing & Recruitment 1:11 San Angelo Chamber of Commerce 418 W. Ave. B •Z_ San Angelo, TX 76903 877-653-4136 john@sanangelo.org www.sanangelo.org ie7 n SAN ANTONIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION San Antonio has a "culture of business" that includes pro-business leadership, solid growth, abundant work force, land, and affordable energy that attracts diverse industries and job -producing investments to the city. Learn why 100 companies in six years have chosen to partner with SAEDF and San Antonio's collaborative business community. Tom Long, Executive Vice President of Business Recruitment San Antonio Economic Development Foundation 602 E. Commerce St. San Antonio, Texas 78205 210-226-1394 tIong@sanantonioedf.com www.sanantonioedf.com. SOCIAL MEDIA: https://www.facebook.com/SanAntonioEDF https://twitter.com/sanantonioedf http://www.linkedin.com/company/121085?trk=tyah EINEI SUGAR LAND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Sugar Land offers a highly educated work force and 22 million square feet of prime commercial space. Sugar Land Regional Airport was designated a "National General Aviation" airport, one of 84 in the country and one of only eight in Texas. In January, a ribbon -cutting was held at the Taxilane Juliett site, a project that accommodates aviation departments interested in relocating to Sugar Land. Regina Morales City of Sugar Land Economic Development 2700 Town Center Blvd. North Sugar Land, TX 77479 Cell: 281-642-7328 Fax: 281.275.2217 ecodev@sugarlandtx.gov rmorales@sugarlandtx.gov www.SugarLandEcoDev.com MINNESOTA IS THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR YOUR BUSINESS International Seaport • 19 Fortune 500 Companies Global Health Care Leader • Shovel -ready Sites Competitive Incentives ECONOMIC.DEVELOPMENTOSTATE.MN.US -259-7432 WWW. POS ITIVELYM I N N ESOTA.COM AREA DEVELOPMENT 1 Q2/Spring 2013 103