2013 Consultants Site Guide

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Special Supplement to Area Development Magazine

2013 Volume 9

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w w w. c o n s u l t a n t s s i t e g u i d e . c o m w w w. f a c i l i t y l o c a t i o n s . c o m

THE SITE SELECTOR’S HANDBOOK TO LEADING

FA C I L I T Y L O C AT I O N S

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C A N A DA Albany 9.2 hours

Toronto 7 hours

New York City 8.4 hours

Detroit

Madison

3.25 hours

8 hours

Philadelphia 7.25 hours

Chicago 5.5 hours

Indianapolis

Washington, D.C.

2.75 hours

6.5 hours

St. Louis 6.5 hours

Nashville

Charlotte

5.6 hours

6.7 hours

DRIVE TIMES 500 mile radius from Columbus

Memphis 8.6 hours

Atlanta Birmingham

8.3 hours

8.5 hours

Maybe it’s time to put the Columbus region on your map.

Find out for yourself what a strong centralized location can do for your bottom line. To learn more, visit columbusregion.com.

Where the new Midwest begins.

NETWORK PARTNER

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ConsultantsSiteGuide.COM

We are pleased to present you with the 9th annual

Consultants Site Guide: The Site Selector’s Handbook to Leading Facility Locations. We have included the

Geraldine Gambale

EDITOR

editor@areadevelopment.com

results of our 2012 Consultants Survey in this publication, as well as an article from Jones Lang LaSalle about the outlook for industrial and office real estate in 2013 and beyond.

WEB DESIGNER

Patricia Zedalis Carmela Emerson

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Jessica Whitebook

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

Talea Gormican

ART & DESIGN

Also included in this magazine are profiles of more than a dozen locations/economic development organi-

PUBLISHER

Dennis J. Shea

zations. Consultants can familiarize themselves with these organizations when helping their clients make location and expansion decisions. For easy reference,

ADVERTISING SALES

William Bakewicz (ext. 202) billbake@areadevelopment.com

full contact information — including web and e-mail

Valerie Krpata (ext. 218) valerie@areadevelopment.com

addresses — is provided within each profile as well as on the Table of Contents page.

DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER

jshea@areadevelopment.com

Our survey of consultants reveals their optimism about the state of the U.S. economy, with nearly

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Matthew Shea (ext. 200) mshea@areadevelopment.com

60 percent saying they expect the economy to

READER SERVICE

improve significantly this year and next. Their optimism

CIRCULATION

is confirmed by surveys from well-respected groups,

CONFERENCE SERVICES

including PricewaterhouseCoopers — PwC’s first quarter

Justin Shea (ext. 220)

Barbara Olsen (ext. 225) olsen@areadevelopment.com

Gertrude Staudt circ@areadevelopment.com

Annie Gregson (212) 579-4469

annie@areadevelopment.com

Manufacturing Barometer finds 55 percent of the surveyed manufacturing executives optimistic about the U.S. economy’s outlook. With that in mind, it

EXECUTIVE OFFICES HALCYON BUSINESS PUBLICATIONS, INC. DENNIS J. SHEA, PRESIDENT

would be wise to keep this reference guide on hand.

dshea@areadevelopment.com MARY PAULSEN, FINANCE

finance@areadevelopment.com

As always, please send your comments or questions about this publication to gerri@areadevelopment.com so that we can continue to help you satisfy your clients’ facility location needs.

ALL CORRESPONDENCE TO: AREA DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE 400 POST AVENUE, WESTBURY, NY 11590

PHONE: (516) 338-0900 TOLL FREE: (800) 735-2732 FAX: (516) 338-0100

www.areadevelopment.com

Editor

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TABLE OF CONTENTS LOCATION PROFILES/SPONSORS

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FEATURES

CALIFORNIA

OHIO

5 City of Stocton, California CITY OF STOCKTON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

40 The Columbus Region: A Diverse and Growing Economy COLUMBUS 2020

http://advantagestockton.com Economic.Development@stocktongov.com

km@columbusregion.com www.columbusregion.com

ILLINOIS

OKLAHOMA

34 Ameren — Bringing Value to the Location Process AMERICAN CORPORATION

26 Tulsa – Where Business Grows TULSA REGIONAL CHAMBER

mkearney@ameren.com www.ameren.com/EcDev

MICHIGAN 18 Business Opportunity Is Pure Michigan MICHIGAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

42 South Carolina Power Team Offers Economic Development Incentive Rate SOUTH CAROLINA POWER TEAM Fgassaway@SCpowerteam.com http://www.scpowerteam.com

MISSISSIPPI

TENNESSEE

22 Mississippi Emerges as Leader in Energy Sector with Passage of Landmark Legislation MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

30 Tennessee: A Business Climate Built for Success TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

MISSOURI 34 Ameren — Bringing Value to the Location Process AMERICAN CORPORATION mkearney@ameren.com www.ameren.com/EcDev

NEBRASKA 52 Grand Island, Nebraska: Your Warehouse/Distribution Destination GRAND ISLAND AREA EDC dmcgovern@grandisland.org www.grandisland.org

36 Nebraska — The Strategic Business Location NEBRASKA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT gary.hamer@nebraska.gov www.neded.org

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SOUTH CAROLINA

www.michiganadvantage.org

www.mississippi.org

3 2013 Real Estate Outlook • Bricks to Clicks?

• New Demands, Challenges in Office Market

jmclaughlin@tulsachamber.com www.GrowMetroTulsa.com

38 Let Your Heart Lead You to Nebraska NEBRASKA PUBLIC POWER DISTRICT econdev@nppd.com econdev.nppd.com

allen.borden@tn.gov www.tn.gov/ecd

TEXAS 44 Lubbock: The “Hub City” LUBBOCK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE mike.hatley@lubbockeda.org www.lubbockeda.org

46 Plano, Texas PLANO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT sallyb@plano.gov www.planotexas.org

48 The Competitive Advantage to Relocating or Expanding Your Business in Texas TEXAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM locatetx@governor.state.tx.us www.Texaswideopenforbusiness.com

ONTARIO, CANADA 50 Prince George — Ideally Situated for Investment INITIATIVES PRINCE GEORGE www.liveprincegeorge.ca www.investprincegeorge.ca

© 2013 Custom Publishing Group of Halcyon Business Publications, Inc. • Publisher of Area Development Magazine • 400 Post Ave., Westbury, NY 11590 • 516-338-0900

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2013/14: REAL ESTATE OUTLOOK Bricks to Clicks?

GROWTH IN “E-TAILING,” AS WELL AS CLASS I RAILROAD INVESTMENT, IS HAVING A NOTICEABLE IMPACT ON THE DEMAND AND DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRIAL SPACE.

BY Craig Meyer, International Director and Head of Americas Industrial Practice, Jones Lang LaSalle A politically and economically charged environment caused many corporations to press pause on their decision-making in 2012. However, demand for “big boxes” (>500,000 square feet) dominated the industrial real estate headlines. As more companies required modern space offering greater functionality for sophisticated logistics systems, occupancy and rental rates in those buildings increased faster than the overall market. High-end industrial space — e.g., with high ceilings and sprinkler systems to accommodate sophisticated logistics automation systems — reached 97 percent occupancy in California’s Inland Empire and are approaching a similar level in most major logistic hubs.

Developers in 2012 took a cautious approach to building new big-box space amid the economic uncertainty and restrictive lending environment. The high absorption and low development levels of quality big-box space will have an impact on the market in 2013.

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Location-sensitive industrial users will either need to pay more for high-end space, or lease in buildings with less-than-optimal operational efficiency potential.

CLICKS CHANGE THE INDUSTRIAL LANDSCAPE One-third of all demand for big-box space in the United States in 2012 was tied to multi-channel retailers or “e-tailers,” and e-commerce is growing at three times the rate of traditional retail. The shift in consumer buying patterns is changing the retail sector from “bricks and mortar” to “bricks and clicks.” Retailers are tapping multiple channels to sell their merchandise and are increasing online sales operations rather than increasing their real estate footprints, and this shift requires an entirely new distribution model.

E-tailers require spacious buildings with 36-foot clear ceiling heights to accommodate high-end racking systems. New-generation industrial is up to five times more labor-intensive than traditional retail distribution facilities, requiring more parking, mezzanine build-outs, increased building automation, and other features that are difficult or impossible to retrofit in older buildings.

With consumers expecting at least the option for next-day delivery and the added labor intensity of the facilities, locating near major population centers is a must. Approximately 32 percent of retail-related industrial demand is in the Northeast, notably in eastern Pennsylvania and central New Jersey, followed by around 26 percent in southern California markets such as Los Angeles and the Inland Empire.

With e-commerce expected to grow by 11.5 percent and m-commerce (mobile) by a staggering 48 percent, demand for these highly specialized retail distribution cen-

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ters will continue to increase in 2013 and beyond.

DEVELOPMENT RENAISSANCE? With the pressure to find big-box space, when will we see increased new development? Soon — in fact, the Inland Empire is leading the way with nine million square feet already under construction with more in the pipeline. Philadelphia, at 5.4 million square feet, is not far behind.

Consolidation into modern space continues as distributors endeavor to optimize their real estate, labor, and transportation costs. But again, that space is becoming scarce — a reality that will drive build-to-suit and speculative development activity across even more markets next year. Other areas we have earmarked for positive demand in the coming year are locations that have profited from Class I rail investment that provides intermodal options for shippers.

Intermodal is the fastest-growing mode of transportation. Its appeal is driven by fuel- and carbonefficiency, as well as by capacity constraints in the trucking industry that look to worsen as new regulations take effect in 2013.

Norfolk Southern’s Crescent Corridor expansion, which stretches from New Orleans to New York, will impact the industrial real estate markets in Memphis, Atlanta, Charlotte, Harrisburg, and northern New Jersey. Also, CSX’s National Gateway — being developed to bring double-stacked containers inland from Hampton Roads and Baltimore to the logistics hubs in Pennsylvania and Ohio — will also have a noticeable impact on industrial space demand as progress unfolds.

We expect to see small- to mid-size industrial users who have been dormant in most markets contribute to new demand this year. Market vacancy rates will continue to decrease at a measured rate, as new speculative and build-to-suit development slowly but steadily accelerates. We know that retailers and retail-related companies are driving demand for industrial space as the dominance of e-commerce continues the charge. Also, as retailers tighten their supply chains to compete on

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delivery, we are seeing demand coming from thirdparty logistics firms. This all bodes well for an active year as the recovery truly makes its way into industrial real estate.

New Demands, Challenges in Office Market MORE INVESTMENT IS NEEDED BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN ORDER FOR FULL OFFICE RECOVERY TO TAKE HOLD.

BY John Sikaitis, Director of Office Market Research, Jones Lang LaSalle

The U.S. office market experienced steady but mild improvements throughout 2012 with year-end analysis showing the 11th consecutive quarter of national occupancy growth and eighth straight quarter of rent increases, with these gains mostly realized in tech-heavy and energy-rich geographies.

The fourth quarter presidential election and avoidance of the “fiscal cliff” set the stage for a broader recovery in 2013.

National net absorption totaled 7.5 million square feet in the first quarter of 2013, ironically just a few hundred feet off the fourth quarter 2012 total, but more than five times greater than the first quarter of 2012 tally. Landlords increased rents for the ninth consecutive quarter in Q1 2013, lifting rents 0.8 percent, while tenant improvement allowances decreased by 4.4 percent, with concessions falling approximately 12.5 percent from cyclical highs in 2009 and 2010. Overall, rents have grown nearly 4 percent over the past 12 months and 7.4 percent since hitting their lowest levels in early 2010, recovering about half of the rent declines experienced during the downturn. Of the

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44 U.S. office markets JLL tracks, 84.1 percent experienced occupancy growth during 2012.

Despite 70 percent of markets posting occupancy growth in the first quarter of 2013, the pace of the office recovery declined 19.4 percent last year compared to the vibrant market experienced in 2011. California and Texas alone accounted for 60.3 percent of the country’s total net absorption in 2012.

THE GROWTH ENGINE A major source of recent leasing activity and new requirements in nearly all geographies came from the home mortgage industry. We predict that if housing momentum keeps up, you can expect homebuilders to return to growth and come back into the market for more space over the next 18 months. Consequently, geographies throughout Florida as well as growing markets such as Phoenix, Atlanta, Orange County, and Las Vegas are likely to be some of the leading office market segments over the next two years.

The conclusion of the 2012 presidential election also brought some certainty that translated into office demand.

The Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) and the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank) seemed certain of implementation after the election, evi-

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denced by a recent spurt of government office requirements on the market. We calculated that the federal government leased more space in Metro D.C. in the six weeks following the election than in the preceding 10 months.

New requirements for space to operate statesponsored healthcare exchanges have emerged in Sacramento, Baltimore, Central Florida, and other markets. We expect that state and federal exchanges will likely span several million square feet across the country. To administer and enforce healthcare reform, government agencies such as the Health Resources and Services Administration and the IRS also may take extra space in Washington, D.C., and regional economies.

However, despite the gains in rent and occupancy experienced in 2012, the U.S. office sector faces significant challenges to demand that threaten long-term growth prospects.

Traditional office tenants — banks, law firms, accounting and consulting firms — are adding headcount, but their real estate footprints are shrinking as they move to increasingly efficient floor plates and spaces. In fact, Jones Lang LaSalle has found through its research that banks and law firms that relocate thereby reduce their space needs by an average of 15 percent. We expect this trend will continue for the next several years as many more companies continue to right size.

THE YEAR AHEAD One of the top emerging commercial real estate trends to watch in 2014 is “collaborative office consumption,” which involves the short-term subleasing of space, by large corporate occupiers or owners, to temporary users on very small scales and with very short lease durations. The area of lease can vary

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from as little as one desk or one conference room, to as large as an entire floor plate. The duration of lease can be as short as one hour or as long as one month.

This emerging trend has incredible benefits and opportunities for large corporations and small, growing companies. JLL research has documented that an average corporate office maintains a steadystate vacancy of up to 30 to 40 percent, due to permanent employees who are traveling, on leave, or working remotely. With the appropriate workplace design and security, collaborative office consumption can unlock valuable capital and allow companies to monetize their temporarily vacant real estate. For small companies, start-ups, and consulting firms, collaborative office consumption provides their employees with temporary space exactly when they need it and where they need it. To date, there are more than 5,500 spaces available for collaborative office consumption on various websites throughout the nation. This number appears to be growing by the thousands each month.

Overall, in order for a full recovery to take root in the U.S., companies need to return to the market and invest in technology, equipment, real estate, or human capital at a faster clip than we saw in 2012 and at rates similar to those experienced in other recoveries. Until this happens, this trend contributes to the stabilization, but not necessarily tightening, of the office sector recovery in the short-run, but it may also affect the larger economic picture over the longer term.

While the United States is in a better economic position than most other developed countries, especially among the private sector, market players are searching for the confidence domestically and globally to reinvest the capital they have been sitting on to fuel future growth.

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The consultants ranked highway accessibility, availability of skilled labor, and labor costs as their clients’ top priorities in their location and expansion projects; they were also more optimistic about the state of the U.S. economy than our corporate readers.

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9th Annual

F

or the ninth consecutive year, Area Development also asked the consultants who work with corporate end-users of facilities — as well as with economic development organizations, i.e., oftentimes consultants wear two hats — to tell us about their clients’ facility plans and priorities. More than 120 consultants responded to our 9th Annual Consultants Survey.

However, since only 37 percent of those responding to our latest Corporate Survey say they use the services of consultants when site selecting, the facility plans and priorities of the responding consultants’ clients may be quite different than those of the Corporate Survey respondents. Let’s see just how different they are.

The Responding Consultants’ Clients More than 50 percent of the responding consultants say they have worked on projects for durable good manufacturers as well as for distribution/logistics firms. About a third have also worked with non-durable goods and other manufacturers, as well as with those in the healthcare/life sciences industries and those who provide data- and computer-related services (Chart A).

More than 70 percent of the respondents to our Consultants Survey say they are providing location studies/comparative

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Consultants Survey analyses to their clients; two thirds are negotiating and managing incentives on their clients’ behalf; and 40 percent handle their clients’ real estate transactions (Chart B).

Percentage of respondents who have worked on projects in the following industries: CHART A

Manufacturing — Durable Goods Manufacturing — Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing — Other Distribution & Logistics Warehousing Services Data Center/Processing/Software/ Other Computer-Related Services Call Center Financial Services/Insurance Energy Industry Hospitality Industry Healthcare Industry/Life Sciences Retail Construction & Trades Other

58% 39% 31% 52% 26% 29% 18% 27% 24% 12% 30% 20% 11% 17%

Primary services required by their clients: CHART B

Feasibility studies Global asset positioning Location studies/comparative analyses Incentives negotiations/management Site selection decision Construction Real estate transaction Human resources consulting Other

49% 16% 72% 68% 77% 14% 40% 12% 8%

In terms of their employment numbers, client companies utilizing consultants’ services: CHART C

Small (20-99 employees) Mid-size (100-499 employees) Large (500-999 employees) Very large (1,000 or more employees)

31% 52% 34% 36%

About half of the respondents say they work primarily with mid-size firms in terms of their employment numbers (100-499), while more than a third also work with companies employing 500 or more people (Chart C).

Needless to say, nearly 90 percent of the responding consultants say executive management at their client firms is involved in the site selection process. The respondents to our 9th Annual Consultants Survey also say they work with their clients’ real estate (63 percent), tax and finance (54 percent), and other business unit management (55 percent) (Chart D). In fact, more than 60 percent of the responding consultants say their clients have gathered preliminary data prior to engaging their services.

About half also say their client firms have narrowed down the geographic area in which they wish to locate, and a fifth actually claim their clients defer to them on the final location decision (Chart E).

Interestingly, the consultants who responded to our survey are slightly more optimistic about the state of the economy than the respondents to our 27th Annual Corporate Survey: 33 percent of the consultants expect the economy to improve by the end of this year (Chart F), whereas only 21 percent of the corporate respondents expect it to do so. In fact, more than 40 percent of the responding con-

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sultants say their clients still plan to open new facilities or expand despite the sluggish U.S. economic recovery (less than a quarDepartments of clients’ organizations that are significantly involved in the site selection process: CHART D

Executive management Real estate Supply chain or logistics Tax and finance Information technology Operations or business unit management Human resources

87% 63% 38% 54% 16% 55% 36%

Clients who ask consultants to perform a location search have: CHART E

Not actively initiated the site selection process Already gathered preliminary data Already narrowed down the geographic area in which they wish to locate Already chosen several “finalist” communities Expect the consultant to narrow or make the location decision for them

17% 62% 53% 19% 22%

Expect the economy to improve significantly by: CHART F

By Q3 2013

By Q4 2013 By 2014 By 2015 Not until 2016

16% 17% 26% 22% 20%

Effects of the sluggish recovery on clients’ facility plans: CHART G

Still plan to open new facilities/expand Still plan to increase hiring New facility/expansion plans put on hold Closing/consolidating facilities Reducing current employment Hiring plans deferred Deferring capital spending Seeking new sources of funding/financing Seeking ways to optimize facilities/layouts

44% 17% 36% 25% 16% 22% 36% 18% 26%

ter of the Corporate Survey respondents made that claim).

Yet, a third of the responding consultants also acknowledge that some clients are putting facility plans on hold and deferring capital spending as a result of anemic economic growth (Chart G).

Clients’ New Facilities & Relocation Plans A quarter of the respondents to our 9th Annual Consultants Survey say most of their clients who expect to open new facilities plan to do so within one year; more than half say their clients will open new facilities within two years (Chart H). Two thirds of the responding consultants also say their clients will open just one new facility (Chart I) — fewer new facilities than our Corporate Survey respondents say they are planning, but perhaps this is because the responding consultants are only engaged by their clients on one project at a time.

The respondents to our Consultants Survey are primarily working on domestic projects slated for the South Atlantic — North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia (16 percent of the projects); the South — Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi (15 percent); and the Southwest (Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas (13 percent) (Chart J), regions that are also

heavily favored by our Corporate Survey respondents. When considering all of the new domestic facilities projects the responding Most of the clients that expect to open new facilities plan to do so within: CHART H

1 year 2 years 3 years 4 years or more

27% 59% 11% 3%

The number of new facilities the average client plans to open: CHART I

1 2 3 4 5 or more

67% 22% 5% 3% 3%

The domestic location projects consultants are working on are slated for the following regions (as a percentage of total new domestic projects): CHART J

New England (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT) Middle Atlantic (DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA) South Atlantic (NC, SC, VA, WV) Mid-South (AR, KY, MO, TN) South (AL, FL, GA, LA, MS) Midwest (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) Plains (IA, KS, MN, NE, ND, SD) Mountain (CO, ID, MT, UT, WY) Southwest (AZ, NM, OK, TX) West

5% 9% 16% 11% 15% 11% 4% 6% 13% 7% 2%

(CA, NV, OR, WA)

Offshore

(AK, HI, PR, VI)

Types of new domestic facilities clients are opening (as a percentage of total new domestic projects): CHART K

Manufacturing Warehouse/Distribution Headquarters Data Center Back Office/Call Center Shared Services R&D Other

31% 23% 12% 8% 7% 8% 9% 3%

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9th Annual

consultants are working on, about 30 percent will be manufacturing plants and a quarter will house warehouse/distribution operations (Chart K).

As for expected new foreign facilities, the respondents to our Consultants Survey say many of the ones they are working on will be in Canada (17 percent) as well as Mexico (16 percent); 15 percent in Asia; and more than 10 percent in Western Europe as well as South America (Chart L).

Interestingly, the respondents to our 27th Annual Corporate Survey also slated more than 10 percent of their foreign projects for each of these latter two regions, but far fewer for our neighbors to the north and south. Of those clients’ projects slated for Asia, China will garner the largest share — 29 percent (Chart M).

More than a third of the responding consultants’ clients’ new foreign facilities will be manufacturing operations, with 17 percent expected to house warehouse/distribution centers (Chart N). Additionally, 28 percent of the consultants say they have seen an increase in the number of companies establishing foreign facilities as opposed to domestic ones (Chart O).

Nonetheless, two thirds say their clients are not expecting to locate a foreign operation/facility back to the United States. Of the third of the consultants who say their clients will re-shore,

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Consultants Survey The foreign location projects consultants are working on are slated for the following regions (as a percentage of total new foreign projects): CHART L

Canada Mexico Caribbean Central America South America Western Europe Eastern Europe Middle East Africa Australia Asia

17% 16% 4% 6% 12% 11% 8% 5% 4% 2% 15%

New facilities planned for Asia will be located in the following locations (as a percentage of total new Asian projects): CHART M

China India Vietnam Singapore Malaysia Other Asian nation

29% 15% 11% 16% 12% 16%

Types of new foreign facilities clients are opening (as a percentage of total new foreign projects): CHART N

Manufacturing Warehouse/Distribution Headquarters Data Center Back Office/Call Center Shared Services R&D Other

38% 17% 5% 7% 8% 13% 11% 2%

Number of companies establishing foreign facilities as opposed to domestic ones: CHART O

Has increased over the last year Has not increased over the last year

28% 72%

more than half explain that this is because their clients are having product quality issues at their foreign facilities and are also concerned about the cost of transporting supplies/products from overseas. More than a third cite rising foreign labor costs, and nearly 30 percent say their clients are encountering rising energy costs as well as having problems finding qualified and/or English-speaking labor (Chart P).

We also asked the Consultants Survey-takers about their clients’ domestic relocation plans. More than 80 percent say that their clients who expect to relocate a domestic facility will do so within one or two years. Of their clients planning relocations, proximity to suppliers/markets served as well as the need to lower labor costs, seems to be driving the decision (Chart Q).

When asked why their clients are not spending more of their money on investment in U.S. facilities, about half of the responding consultants blamed high taxes and excessive government regulations, as well as uncertainty about taxes and regulations for 2013 and beyond (Chart R). The respondents to our 27th Annual Corporate Survey had similar concerns.

Clients’ Site Selection Priorities We also asked our Consultants Survey-takers to rate the site

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selection and quality-of-life factors as “very important,” “important,” “minor consideration,” or “of no importance” in their clients’ location decisions.

The importance ratings and corresponding rankings, along with last year’s consultants’ ratings and rankings of the factors, are shown in Chart S and Chart T. Before examining the specific factors, it should be noted that eight of the top-10 factors are rated “very important” or “important” by at least 90 percent of the responding consultants. However, only two factors (labor costs and highway accessibility) received importance ratings of more than 90 percent by the respondents to the 27th Annual Corporate Survey. Nevertheless, the respondents to our Consultants Survey consider the same three site selection factors as top priorities as do the respon-

Clients expect to relocate a foreign facility back to the U.S.: CHART P

Yes No

32% 68%

If so, reasons for re-shoring: Rising foreign labor costs Rising energy costs Problems finding qualified and/ or English-speaking labor Product quality issues Legal or regulatory problems Lack of robust utility infrastructure Difficulties transporting supplies/products Cost of transporting supplies/products Social/cultural barriers Other

37% 26% 29% 54% 29% 14% 20% 49% 23% 20%

dents to our Corporate Survey — in slightly different order.

The responding consultants rank highway accessibility as the number-one factor, with a 98.3 percent combined “very important” or “important” rating, exactly the same as the prior year’s Consultants Survey’s respondents. Availability of skilled labor is ranked second with a 96.5 percent importance rating, and labor costs is ranked third with a 93 percent combined importance rating.

In keeping with the importance of labor costs, the consultant’s tenth-ranked factor is low union profile, with an 89.2 percent combined rating, representing a seven percentage point year-over-year increase — the third-largest jump in importance among the site selection factors in the Consultants Survey.

Nonunion labor is traditionally lower-cost than organized labor with its concomitant benefits.

The responding consultants agree with the Corporate Survey respondents in that 61 percent say unemployment rates are not making it easier for their clients to find the labor they need (Chart U). More than 80 percent of the consultants also say the unemployed are lacking the advanced skills their client companies require (Chart V). This may be why only 49 percent of the respondents to our Consultants Survey rate availability of unskilled labor as “very

important” or “important,” similar to our corporate respondents, and placing this factor 24th in priority. Nevertheless, fully two thirds of the responding consultants believe that their clients are less than 25 percent dependent on contract or contingent labor (Chart W).

This lack of skilled labor has resulted in huge increases in the importance of proximity to technical college/training as well as

Most clients that expect to relocate facilities plan to do so within: CHART Q

1 year 2 years 3 years 4 years or more

35% 48% 15% 3%

Of those clients who are planning a relocation, the primary reasons for doing so: High taxes Excessive government regulations Healthcare costs Quality of life concerns Labor costs Labor availability Proximity to suppliers/markets served Poor infrastructure Other

40% 37% 6% 16% 51% 40% 67% 11% 17%

Issues preventing clients from spending more of their earnings on investment in U.S. facilities: CHART R

High taxes Excessive government regulations Healthcare costs Proximity to suppliers/markets served Uncertainty about taxes and regulations for 2013 and beyond Labor costs Labor availability Poor infrastructure Quality of life concerns

44% 49% 33% 22% 56% 34% 26% 7% 1%

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Consultants Survey 2012*

CHART S

Site selection factors

Very Important %

Important %

Minor Consideration

Of No Importance %

Labor Availability of skilled labor Availability of unskilled labor Training programs Labor costs Low union profile Right-to-work state

71.1 15.7 29.7 54.9 54.1 47.3

25.4 33.3 47.7 38.1 35.1 28.6

3.5 46.3 20.7 7.1 10.8 17.0

0.0 4.6 1.8 0.0 0.0 7.1

71.1 14.3 29.1 8.0 43.2

27.2 30.4 54.5 24.1 38.7

1.8 35.7 14.5 48.2 15.3

0.0 19.6 1.8 19.6 2.7

23.4 46.9 53.1 61.6

37.8 43.4 37.2 29.5

28.8 8.8 8.0 8.0

9.9 1.0 1.8 1.0

Available buildings Available land Occupancy or construction costs Expedited or “fast-track” permitting Raw materials availability Energy availability and costs Environmental regulations Proximity to major markets Proximity to suppliers Inbound/outbound shipping costs Proximity to technical college/training

46.8 52.7 37.8 48.2 20.9 39.3 29.7 51.3 36.4 43.2 24.5

33.3 33.9 50.5 44.6 44.5 50.0 51.4 41.6 44.5 33.3 50.9

16.2 8.9 9.9 4.5 24.5 9.8 17.1 7.1 17.3 18.9 22.7

3.6 4.5 1.8 2.7 10.0 1.0 1.8 0.0 1.8 4.5 1.8

Quality-of-life factors Climate Housing availability Housing costs Healthcare facilities Ratings of public schools Cultural opportunities Recreational opportunities Colleges and universities in area Low crime rate

8.9 8.8 10.7 16.7 26.3 7.0 6.1 18.4 26.1

42.9 48.7 42.0 52.6 47.4 36.8 48.2 61.4 52.3

38.4 37.2 42.0 26.3 21.9 46.5 35.1 15.8 18.9

9.8 5.3 5.4 4.4 4.4 9.6 10.5 4.4 2.7

Transportation/ Telecommunications Highway accessibility Railroad service Accessibility to major airport Waterway or oceanport accessibility Availability of advanced ICT services Finance Availability of long-term financing Corporate tax rate Tax exemptions State and local incentives Other

*All figures are percentages and are rounded to the nearest tenth of a percent.

12 www.ConsultantsSiteGuide.com

training programs in general. These two factors show the greatest increases among site selection factors in their importance ratings by the consultants — jumping 19.4 and 13.2 percentage points, respectively, and now considered “very important” or “important” by more than three quarters of the responding consultants. Proximity to technical college/training also showed the largest percentage increase in importance in the Corporate Survey.

The factor showing the biggest jump in the consultants’ rankings is expedited or fast-track permitting — up five spots from 10th place in the prior year’s Consultants Survey to fifth position this year.

Consultants know the importance of speed to market and getting a client’s project up and running quickly.

Consequently, in a related question, more than 80 percent claim the existence of an available building is very or somewhat important in their clients’ site searches (Chart X), and more than three quarters affirm the importance of a shovelready or pre-certified site (Chart Y).

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Combined Ratings* of 2012 Factors CHART T

Site selection factors

Proximity to major markets is ranked fourth by the consultants, with a combined “very important” or “important” rating of 92.9 percent.

Two other market-access factors — railroad service and waterway or ocean port accessibility — also show increases in their importance ratings, although the consultants still rank them at the bottom of the list of site selection factors considered by their clients in the location search.

State and local incentives is ranked sixth among the site selection factors, and tax exemptions and corporate tax rate are tied for seventh position; all three of these factors are considered “very important” or “important” by more than 90 percent of the responding consultants.

This is not surprising considering 61 percent of the consultants say incentives have always been of great importance to their clients (Chart Z). Remember, 70 percent of the Corporate Survey respondents say incentives are very or somewhat important to moving a project forward in a particular location.

Consultants Survey 2012 2012

2011

Ranking 1.

Highway accessibility

98.3

98.3 (1)**

2.

Availability of skilled labor

96.5

93.6 (4)

3.

Labor costs

93.0

96.3 (2)

4.

Proximity to major markets

92.9

93.8 (3)

5.

Expedited or “fast-track” permitting

92.8

86.4 (10)

6.

State and local incentives

91.1

88.3 (7)

7.

Tax exemptions

90.3

86.9 (9)

Corporate tax rate

90.3

85.0 (11)

Energy availability and costs

89.3

88.4 (6)

10.

Low union profile

89.2

82.7 (13)

11.

Occupancy or construction costs

88.3

87.1 (8)

12.

Available land

86.6

92.7 (5)

13.

Accessibility to major airport

83.6

80.3 (15)

14.

Availability of advanced ICT services

81.9

81.2 (14)

15.

Environmental regulations

81.1

79.0 (17)

16.

Proximity to suppliers

80.9

83.9 (12)

17.

Available buildings

80.1

79.1 (16)

18.

Training programs

77.4

64.2 (20)

19.

Inbound/outbound shipping costs

76.5

76.5 (18)

20.

Right-to-work state

75.9

75.0 (19)

21.

Proximity to technical college/training

75.4

56.0 (23)

22.

Raw materials availability

65.4

61.2 (22)

23.

Availability of long-term financing

61.2

63.0 (21)

24.

Availability of unskilled labor

49.0

51.4 (24)

25.

Railroad service

44.7

38.2 (25)

26.

Waterway or oceanport accessibility

32.1

26.1 (26)

7T. 9.

Quality-of-life factors Ranking 1.

Colleges and universities in area

79.8

69.6 (4)

2.

Low crime rate

78.4

76.6 (2)

3.

Ratings of public schools

73.7

76.8 (1)

4.

Healthcare facilities

69.3

69.4 (5)

5.

Housing availability

57.5

66.1 (6)

6.

Recreational opportunities

54.3

52.2 (9)

7.

Housing costs

52.7

72.1 (3)

8.

Climate

51.8

52.7 (8)

9.

Cultural opportunities

43.8

58.6 (7)

*All figures are percentages and are the total of “very important” and “important” ratings of the Area Development Consultants Survey and are rounded to the nearest tenth of a percent. **(2011 ranking)

13

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Page 14

9th Annual

Three quarters of the responding consultants say tax credits, exemptions, and the like are most important to their clients, and more than half say worker training incentives are equally important (Chart AA).

Unfortunately, almost 30 percent of the consultants claim that High unemployment rates are making it easier for clients to find the necessary labor: CHART U

Yes No

39% 61%

Many unemployed are lacking: CHART V

Basic skills

37%

(e.g., reading comprehension,

mathematical competency, etc.)

Advanced skills

83%

(e.g., advanced welding, machine tool programming, bioprocessing, etc.)

Clients’ dependency on contract workers or contingent labor: CHART W

Less than 25% 25–50% More than 50%

67% 20% 13%

Importance of the existence of an available building in clients’ site searches: CHART X

Very important Somewhat important A minor consideration Of no importance

46% 37% 11% 5%

Importance of the existence of a shovel-ready/pre-certified site in clients’ site searches: CHART Y

Very important Somewhat important A minor consideration Of no importance

39% 37% 17% 8%

Consultants Survey their clients have had to repay incentives monies because job creation or investment obligations were not met (Chart BB).

Nearly half of the consultants responding to our 9th Annual Consultants Survey also have found communities offering incentives for “green initiatives,” although only 23 percent say their clients have encountered “green performance” requirements as a stipulation for receiving incentives (Chart CC).

This is important since energy availability and costs is considered “very important” or “important” by 89.3 percent of the responding consultants, placing this factor in ninth position.

In fact, more than 40 percent of the consultants say high energy costs are affecting their clients’ facility operations (Chart DD).

Two thirds also say sustainable development is more important to their clients now than in the past (Chart EE). In response to this, three quarters of the consultants say their clients are making energy-saving modifications to their facilities; about two thirds say their clients are also recycling or re-using waste products; and more than half claim clients are seeking LEED certification for new or existing facilities (Chart FF).

Finally, in a response similar to that given by the Corporate Survey respondents, 85 percent

14 www.ConsultantsSiteGuide.com

of the responding consultants say their clients consider the existence of businesses in the area of search performing similar activities to theirs, with the same percentage considering this factor as very or somewhat important (Chart GG).

In the separate ranking of quality-of-life factors, the Relative importance of incentives to clients when making location decisions: CHART Z

Have always been of great importance Are more important now than in the past Are less important now than in the past

61% 31% 8%

Type(s) of incentives clients consider most important when making a location decision: CHART AA

Cash grants Tax incentives (tax credits, exemptions, etc.)

Other financial incentives (bonds, loans, etc.)

Worker training incentives Other incentives (land, utility-rate subsidies,

63% 74% 28% 53% 53%

infrastructure support, etc.)

Clients have had to repay incentives monies because investment and/or job creation obligations were not met: CHART BB

Yes No

29% 71%

Communities are offering specific incentives for “green” initiatives: CHART CC

Yes No

46% 54%

Clients have encountered “green performance” requirements as a stipulation for receiving incentives: Yes No

23% 77%

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respondents to our 9th Annual Consultants Survey consider colleges and universities in area the number-one factor, with nearly 80 percent rating it as “very important” or “important” — a 10.2 percentage point increase Impact of high energy costs on clients’ facility plans: CHART DD

Affecting facility operations Affecting supply/distribution network decisions No effect

42% 23%

CHART EE

67% 33%

Consultants’ Information Sources Sources of site selection information used during the past 24 months: Site magazines (Area Development, etc.)

B2B industry-related magazines

Measures being undertaken by clients to reduce company’s “carbon footprint”:

General business magazines (The Wall Street Journal, etc.)

LEED certification for new or existing facilities Energy-saving modifications to existing facilities Installed on-site renewable generation Change of supply or distribution routes/methods Recycling or re-use of waste products, etc.

Other

Promotional materials (e.g., brochures, etc.)

Economic data aggregators

77% 23% 32% 62%

55% 46% 78%

(incl. online resources)

Direct mail/e-mail Personal visits

43% 84%

Searched the Internet for site and facility planning information:

11% Yes No

Existence of businesses performing similar activities in the area of search is taken into consideration by clients: CHART GG

85% 15%

Importance of this factor in clients’ location decision: Very important Somewhat important A minor consideration Of no importance

51%

(IndustryWeek, etc.)

CHART FF

53%

74% 40%

29% 56% 10% 5%

Firm maintains its own site selection database: Yes No

55% 45%

(food, plastics, etc.)

Financial publications

Yes No

bined importance rating among all factors considered by the consultants — site selection and quality-of-life (-19.4 percentage points). And the cultural opportunities factor showed a 14.8 percent decrease in importance, achieving only a 43.8 percent combined importance rating and ranking last among quality-of-life factors on the consultants’ list.

48%

Sustainable development is more important to clients now than in the past:

Yes No

over this factor’s ranking in the year-prior survey.

The responding consultants consider low crime rate nearly as important, ranking it second, followed by educational and housing factors. With housing costs having dropped dramatically over the last few years in many parts of the country, this factor showed the largest decrease in its com-

90% 10%

Information searched for online: Data on specific locations Contact information for economic development agencies Contact information for other professionals who can assist in the site search Listings of available sites and buildings

87% 87% 40%

Number of locations/economic development organizations making clients’ “short list”: 1-5 5–10 More than 10

83% 16% 2%

Number of locations you/client usually visits before finalizing the location decision: 1 or 2 Up to 5 More than 5

26% 59% 15%

Length of time after a client engagement that a site location decision is generally reached: 3–6 months 6 months to 1 year 1–2 years More than 2 years

33% 55% 11% 1%

66%

(e.g., FastFacility)

Industry-related news on websites

57%

(e.g., AreaDevelopment.com)

15

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Page 16

9th Annual

Consultants Survey

Consultants’ Sources of Information Similar to the Corporate Survey respondents, nearly three quarters of the responding consultants have used magazines like Area Development as a source of information when site selecting for their clients over the past two years. A similar percentage has used economic data aggregators.

Needless to say, personal visits to areas of interest remain the top source of information as

claimed by 84 percent of the consultants.

More than half of the consultants who took our survey maintain their own site selection database; yet nearly all (90 percent) also search the Internet for site and facility planning information. They are primarily looking for data on specific locations and contact information for economic development agencies (87 percent). Two thirds are seeking

listings of available sites and buildings, e.g., utilizing FastFacility.

More than 80 percent say between one and five locations make their clients’ “short list,” and nearly 60 percent say they and their clients generally visit up to five locations before making a final site selection decision. And, 88 percent of the respondents claim their clients usually reach a site decision within one year of engaging their services.

••

www.areadevelopment.com

New Online...

Papers/Research/Studies AlixPartners: U.S. On Par with Mexico as a Preferred Nearshoring Destination Thirty-seven percent of the surveyed C-level executives cite the U.S. as the preferred nearshoring destination, the same percentage that prefers Mexico.

JLL: Five Overarching Trends Affecting Global Corporate Real Estate Corporate real estate executives are being asked to do more with less, but CRE leaders have an unprecedented opportunity to drive productivity and affect corporate competitiveness.

Deloitte/WEF: Manufacturing for Growth — Strategies for Driving Growth and Employment It takes teamwork to succeed in the highly competitive global manufacturing environment.

www.areadevelopment.com/studies VISIT OUR OTHER ONLINE INFORMATION RESOURCES

consultantssiteguide.com

areadevelopment.com

16 www.ConsultantsSiteGuide.com

locationcanada.com

facilitylocations.com

ADONov2011Fullpage

11/10/11

1:44 PM

Page 1

Vital. Useful. Updated Daily.

The best information on site selection and facility planning available online • Current News: Real estate & industry news, and economic indicator reports updated throughout the day • Valuable Resources: Tax and incentive information, development contacts, and insightful surveys • Latest Studies, Research, White Papers: Aggregated from the top consultants, think tanks and institutions, and distilled into usable information • Reviewable Archives: Search the Area Development archives for content, opinion, and reports spanning the last five years from the top industry minds

Visit – www.areadevelopment.com

Providing What Others Don’t

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WHAT HAPPENS WHEN

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MichiganProfile

5/24/13

12:11 PM

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MICHIGAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT C O R P O R AT I O N

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY IS PURE MICHIGAN Welcome to Michigan, one of the fastest-growing economies in the nation. Recently, Newsweek ranked us #1 for job growth, and we are home to one of the world’s largest concentrations of industrial R&D — not to mention our world-class research university system, which produces a deep and growing pool of techskilled talent.

Stik.com did when they moved back to downtown Detroit. Back to a huge collection of engineering and design talent that has helped increase their staff by 500 percent. Back to lower costs and a round of state and private investments in excess of $2 million.

And back to a collaborative community that will help accelerate their company like nowhere else could.

Blue water meets green thinking While most companies view wastewater as an inconvenience, Decorative Panels International saw it as an opportunity. Working with American Process, Inc., DPI developed a refinery to convert its wastewater into an ethanol fuel. As the very first cellulosic ethanol plant operation in the country, it’s just another example of how Michigan is leading the way toward a cleaner tomorrow.

Booming in Battle Creek If things are a little quiet in Battle Creek, it’s only because Janesville Acoustics is in town. They are a world leader in acoustical products and sounddampening automotive systems. They are moving into a renovated plant that will generate up to

Welcome to Michigan, a state strategically positioned within 500 miles of half of the U.S. and Canadian population and income — a combination that creates an economic activity index that’s at a 10-year high.

Welcome to Michigan, where a comeback has begun in industries ranging from automotive and high-tech to medical and environmental.

Our reinvention is reflected in the countless stories throughout the state — stories that suggest a very promising future.

IT company eagerly leaves Valley It’s not often you hear of an IT company departing Silicon Valley to pursue its dreams. But that’s precisely what Nathan Labenz and Jay Gierak of

$10 million in private investment and add a projected 225 jobs to the area. Drawn by the large talent pool and a dynamic automotive infrastructure, Janesville Acoustics has found Michigan to be a very sound investment.

19

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Detroit meets Dan In just over two years, Quicken Loans and Rock Ventures founder Dan Gilbert has bought more than 20 buildings that now house 85 businesses with over 10,000 team members. It’s his vision for “Opportunity Detroit,” an exciting live-work-play district based around entrepreneurial growth companies in the digital economy. “We are building an explosive high-tech corridor located at the intersection of muscles and brains, right here in downtown Detroit,” says Gilbert. And, with an 86 percent reduction in business taxes and redesigned incentive programs, Michigan is once again providing the perfect business climate.

Start-up meets launch pad When DeNovo Sciences entered the Accelerate

Michigan Economic Development Corporation

20 www.ConsultantsSiteGuide.com

Michigan Innovative Competition, they were a small company with a big dream. Since winning the $500K grand prize, they’ve become a sought-after company on the verge of developing cutting-edge products for early cancer detection. Combined with more recent additional state and private funding in excess of $1 million and continued access to the expertise of two world-class hospitals, DeNovo knows that Michigan offers the right mix of experience and resources to help them really take off.

Michigan is a leader in making things and making things work. But first and foremost, we’re a state of innovators. It’s a key reason why Michigan is ranked #1 for states that recovered most from the Great Recession. And why we’re writing the best comeback story in the nation.

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WHAT HAPPENS WHEN

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MississippiProfile

6/4/13

11:33 AM

Page 22

MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

MANUFACTURERS BENEFIT FROM MISSISSIPPI’S ENERGY-FOCUSED LEGISLATION

ECONOMIC DEVELOPERS and site selectors know well the dogged perseverance required to land and close a big project. This determination and drive has won Mississippi a string of recent economic development successes, like the announcement of Yokohama Tire Corporation’s manufacturing facility and the opening of a second GE Aviation jet engine facility in our state. Persistence and fortitude are engrained in Mississippi culture and our core value system. Whether it’s football, the blues music we are known for throughout the world, or economic development, when we decide to do something, we go all in.

When Governor Phil Bryant decided to make energysector development a key focus of his administration, I knew he would go at it full-throttle. In 2012, Governor Bryant released Energy Works: Mississippi’s Energy Roadmap, outlining his vision for energy-sector development in Mississippi and directing state government to work together with legislative leaders in unprecedented ways to address the challenges facing the energy sector head on. Since then, we have implemented those ideas and positioned Mississippi to lead the pack among the top states in the country for energyrelated business investment.

22 www.ConsultantsSiteGuide.com

Mississippi has chosen to focus energy-related recruitment efforts on four distinct sectors: extraction and energy resource development, energy-intensive industries recruitment, developing biomass resources, and growing our energy component manufacturing sector. Through Governor Bryant’s hands-on leadership, landmark energy legislation was passed in the 2013 legislative session. These new laws will open doors for energy-related manufacturing companies seeking a strong, favorable business climate in which to operate.

Mississippi enjoys energy costs that are approximately 20 percent below the national average. Building upon that key strength, one of our new laws eliminates sales tax paid on electricity for manufacturers starting in 2014. Adding this new tax policy to Mississippi’s already competitive tax structure and plentiful, reliable electricity and natural gas, positions the state for immense growth opportunities in energy-intensive manufacturing.

Mississippi is home to more natural gas pipeline infrastructure than any state in the nation. As a rural state, we saw a need to help bring natural gas and electricity to project sites in isolated areas. The newly created Energy Infrastructure Revolving Loan Fund gives our communities assistance to finance the cost of energy infrastructure for companies investing more than $50 million in an economic development project.

Another crucial piece of recently enacted legislation dramatically reduces the tax on oil and gas extracted from horizontally drilled wells from 6 percent to 1.3 percent — an 80 percent reduction. The emerging Tuscaloosa Marine Shale (TMS) play that lies under the southwest region of the state is projected to produce high-quality oil in large quantities, where development is significantly ramping up. Experts expect TMS to be one of the most active resource plays in the United States once it reaches full production. This severance tax reduction will tremendously benefit companies as they fine-tune horizontal drilling techniques to produce oil and gas economically.

The state also places priority on investing in intellectual capital and research needed to take the energy sector, and the economy as a whole, to the next frontier. The Strengthening Mississippi Academic Research through Business Act (SMART) provides a 25 percent rebate on costs related to research and development —

MississippiProfile

6/4/13

11:33 AM

Page 23

including energy-related R&D — to companies that collaborate with a state university. Mississippi is home to several universities conducting research in cuttingedge energy fields like biomass, biofuels, nuclear, photovoltaics, magnetics, and transportation fuels.

While these new energy laws will grow our energy sector moving forward, we boast a number of reasons companies already call Mississippi home. Mississippi has 30 railroad providers, including five Class I rail providers, and 2,500 miles of mainline railroad track; six interstate highways; and 15 ports, including deepwater operations on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Our central U.S. location and integrated transportation network allow easy access to major markets.

Without a doubt, one of our greatest assets is our highly skilled, dedicated work force. Numerous companies — domestic and global — have cited Mississippi’s workers as the primary reason they chose a Mississippi location. We are firmly committed to offering customized, quality work force training programs through our state’s community colleges to meet the specific needs of companies investing in a Mississippi location.

Customized training programs guarantee our work force is equipped with the necessary knowledge and technical skills to ensure company success.

Additionally, our strong business incentives portfolio offers packages to best meet the needs of each company we partner with as they prepare to grow or strengthen their roots in Mississippi. MDA’s team of economic development professionals collaborates with local and regional economic development partners to deliver world-class services and assistance to its corporate partners.

Energy costs and resource availability are significant deciding factors for companies seeking a location for new investment. I am eager and optimistic to witness the impact of this landmark energy legislation in our state. Mississippi is well positioned for energy-sector growth, and I strongly encourage companies — domestic and international — seeking a U.S.-based location to invest in Mississippi.

Visit www.mississippi.org/energy-works to learn more about our new energy offerings. We stand ready to put these measures to work for you at a Mississippi location.

BY Brent Christensen, Executive Director, Mississippi Development Authority (MDA)

23

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Page 24

IN MISSISSIPPI, we approach economic development as a dynamic team sport. With that mindset, we work collaboratively and diligently to both attract new business investment to our state and ensure the success of our existing industries.

Mississippi’s team approach to economic development is led by Governor Phil Bryant, our economic developer-in-chief. Through his leadership, we have made vast strides toward creating a world-class environment for business investment, and we’ve made advanced manufacturing a key target sector for economic growth. We see the big picture, and we will be steadfast in our commitment to create quality jobs and a strong return on investment for corporations choosing to invest in Mississippi.

In 2013, Mississippi’s legislative session agenda yielded significant milestones in both tax and energy reform. Mississippi manufacturers will reap the benefits of that legislation for years to come, providing them with a competitive advantage for choosing a Mississippi location.

As the president of the Mississippi Manufacturers Association, I can attest to the sizable contribution our manufacturing industry adds to our state’s overall economy. As the statewide advocate for the manufacturing industry, MMA pursues and supports measures that create conducive environments for new and existing manufacturers to succeed.

The 2013 energy legislation recently signed into law

by Governor Bryant further strengthens Mississippi’s already business-friendly climate. Knowing manufacturers use more than one-third of all energy consumed in the United States, cost of energy is a deciding indicator for return on business investment in the globally competitive marketplace. Mississippi’s new legislation offers a sales tax exemption on energy used for manufacturing. This legislation decreases energy costs for manufacturers in Mississippi who, by the way, already enjoy a 20% below the national average energy rate.

That’s a tremendous competitive advantage for our manufacturers.

Marlo Dorsey, Chief Marketing Officer Mississippi Development Authority

501 North West Street Jackson, MS 39201

The newly passed energy legislation also offers a host of other benefits including an energy infrastructure loan fund, a tax reduction on electricity for enhanced oil recovery, a rebate on research and development costs, and a drastic severance tax reduction on horizontal drilling.

Adding those newly enacted initiatives to the state’s low construction costs, low business tax rates, and its reasonable cost-of-living for wage base calculations, Mississippi’s industries receive substantial financial savings and enjoy a competitive advantage over other states.

It has been stated time and again that Mississippi’s labor force — with its strong work ethic, dedication, and skill — is the key to the continued success for Mississippi companies. In partnership with our community colleges, we keep work force skills sharp by providing tailored work force training programs specific to industry sectors. We work in tandem with our universities on research and development initiatives, such as those offered by the University of Mississippi’s Center for Manufacturing Excellence.

Mississippi is an exceptional location for manufacturing companies. Forward-looking measures enacted in our energy legislation will increase Mississippi’s competitiveness when it comes to recruiting businesses and will help ensure our existing manufacturers can maintain their edge in a globally competitive marketplace.

Learn more about the benefits of a Mississippi location by visiting our website. To read more about the landmark energy legislation recently passed in the state, please visit www.mississippi.org/energy-works or www.mississippi.org/locate-in-mississippi.

BY Jay Moon, President, Mississippi Manufacturers Association (MMA)

601-359-3449 Fax: 601-359-2832

mdorsey@mississippi.org http://mississippi.org

24 www.ConsultantsSiteGuide.com

AREA011

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TOMORROW’S ENERGY. TODAY’S OPPORTUNITY. Both in Mississippi.

Through the passage of landmark energy legislation, Mississippi is positioned to take a major role in the world’s energy future.

We already provide a friendly regulatory climate, a low cost of doing business and a well-developed network of natural gas pipelines across the state. Now, with incentives for new energy source development and low-interest financing for energy infrastructure, Mississippi is harnessing energy’s economic potential and maximizing yours. It’s just another example of our relentless commitment to helping business thrive in Mississippi.

To learn more about the next generation of energy leaders, visit Mississippi.org/energy-works.

mississippi.org

1.800.360.3323

© Mississippi Development Authority 2013

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TulsaProfile

6/3/13

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TULSA REGIONAL CHAMBER

TULSA – WHERE BUSINESS GROWS Centrally located, Tulsa is an innovative, growing region and is home to some of the world’s most recognized companies, the country’s most inland water port, and a well-educated, highly skilled work force.

Companies in Tulsa represent diverse industry sectors and benefit from one of the lowest cost of doing business in the nation. The Tulsa region experienced high growth in 2011–2012. In addition, the Tulsa Regional Chamber’s Economic Development Division attained one of the highest honors for a program of its kind — accreditation through the International Economic Development Council’s Accredited Economic Development Organization process. The Tulsa Regional Chamber’s economic development program is the 31st recipient worldwide of the honor. The Chamber’s business retention and expansion program has been recognized as the top program of its kind in the country by BREI. Top announcements for the Tulsa region include the news that Verizon selected Tulsa for a financial services hub that will create 500 jobs. In addition, BoretsWeatherford is constructing a 15,000-square-foot research and development lab, and plans to add employees. Switzerland-based ABB is adding 265 jobs to its Northeast Oklahoma facility with the aid of local and state incentives, and Tulsa-based Melton Truck Lines Inc. also broke ground on its new corporate headquarters, a 77,000-square-foot facility that will function as an office for more than 250 employees.

The Muscogee (Creek) Nation is expanding its River

26 www.ConsultantsSiteGuide.com

Spirit Casino and entering into a partnership with Margaritaville to open a 22-story hotel along the Arkansas River. Expansion plans call for a 500-room hotel tower, new casino, restaurant, theater, event center and more, which will create more than 800 jobs.

“With an expanded Quality Jobs Program, Tulsa is better equipped to create high-quality, knowledge-based jobs and can offer competitive incentives [that] some of our peer cities can’t offer,” said Justin McLaughlin, senior vice president of economic development for the Tulsa Regional Chamber.

The new $250 million Margaritaville hotel and casino, an expanded Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, a downtown baseball stadium, and the BOK Center — one of the nation’s top venues — have contributed to the region’s quality of life, making Tulsa an ideal home to headquarters companies including QuikTrip Corp., Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, ONEOK, Williams, and Nordam.

TARGET INDUSTRIES A number of sectors in Tulsa are highly concentrated with great growth potential.

Energy: Tulsa has long been the center of the energy industry, beginning with oil in 1905. Companies include Williams, ONEOK, Helmerich & Payne, Samson, and Holly Corporation. And, today, Tulsa is diversifying its traditional energy jobs as regions across the country increase utilization of “green” energy sources.

Aerospace: More than 100 aerospace companies are located in Tulsa, including the world’s largest commercial maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility.

Companies include American Airlines, Nordam, Spirit AeroSystems, and BizJet International.

Transportation, distribution and logistics: Tulsa is an intermodal city offering the four primary forms of transportation. Companies include Melton Truck Lines, The Hodges Cos., and United Warehouse.

ECONOMIC SNAPSHOT OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA * COST OF LIVING — 10 percent below the national average * COST OF DOING BUSINESS — 15 percent below the national average * PER CAPITA PERSONAL INCOME —13 percent above the national average * UNEMPLOYMENT RATE — 5.6 percent in February 2013 * EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT — 29.3 percent of Tulsans hold a Bachelor’s degree or higher; 10.5 percent of Tulsans hold a graduate degree * POPULATION GROWTH — 4.3 percent projected through 2017

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Momentum.

Companies of all sizes and industries continue to choose the Tulsa region for its resiliency, its growth opportunities, talented workforce and affordable business costs. Tulsa ranked as a top metro area in more than 20 publications in 2012 and 2013 for its economy, real estate and quality of life – and people all over the world are taking notice. For more information, go to: growmetrotulsa.com.

Justin McLaughlin, CEcD | Senior Vice President | Economic Development | jmclaughlin@tulsachamber.com Tulsa Regional Chamber | One West Third Street, Suite 100 | Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103 | 800.624.6822

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Machinery and electrical equipment manufacturing: Many of the nation’s largest manufacturers have made Tulsa home for their growing operations, including Lowrance Electronics, Labarge Electronics, McElroy Manufacturing, and Evans Electric.

Professional services and headquarters: Tulsa is home to accounting; engineering and architectural firms; insurance and finance companies such as Verizon, IBM, State Farm, and U.S. Cellular; and headquarters for QuikTrip Corp., BAMA Co., and Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group.

Healthcare: More than nine major medical centers operate in the Tulsa metropolitan area, providing stateof-the-art services for the four corners region. Tulsa is also home to two medical schools.

Information security: Tulsa has been identified as a region that is developing the technology and researchintensive sub-sector for information security. The University of Tulsa, in particular, is leading the way in the industry’s research.

TRANSPORTATION Located in the heart of the United States, Tulsa is a true intermodal city, offering air cargo service through three freight carriers at Tulsa International Airport, more than 50 local motor freight companies, rail service through two mainline-carriers and four short-line carriers, and barge service through the Tulsa Port of Catoosa.

Ground: Tulsa is a central U.S. location with convenient access to I-44, I-40, and I-35, and one- to two-day delivery times to major cities in the West South Central region.

Water: The nation’s most inland water port, the Tulsa Port of Catoosa offers year-round, ice-free barge with river flows controlled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The port’s 2,000-acre industrial park is a fully equipped, multimodal transportation center.

Air: Tulsa International Airport is located on 4,000 acres with 22 gates and three runways, providing nonstop service to 16 cities and an average of 55 departures per day through four major airlines.

The airport offers air cargo service

Justin McLaughlin, CEcD Senior Vice President, Economic Development Tulsa Regional Chamber

28 www.ConsultantsSiteGuide.com

through seven freight carriers, and includes fixed-based operators, 30 hangars, and general aviation services.

Rail: Two mainline carriers and four short-line carriers provide rail transportation: BNSF, Union Pacific, Sand Springs, Tulsa-Sapulpa Union, St. Louis Southwestern, and SK&O. Tulsa offers area switching services and piggyback facilities.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING Oklahoma is recognized as a leader in advanced research and technology resources. A network of quality educational institutions prepares Tulsans with a wide range of skills and knowledge needed for the technologydriven global economy.

Tulsa’s aerospace and advanced manufacturing industries drive specialized degree programs at colleges and universities in the region.

Oklahoma’s nationally recognized CareerTech campuses offer the Training for Industry Program (TIP) at little or no charge to manufacturers. CareerTech’s TIP offers customized services, including training needs assessment, instructional materials, instructors, and training facilities.

In addition, Tulsa Tech is available to assist area employers with employee training in manufacturing, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

TULSA’S DOWNTOWN Tulsa is revitalizing its downtown with an 18,000-seat arena, a baseball park, arts center, restaurants, retail, housing, and hotels — and companies of all sizes and industries are taking notice. Infrastructure improvements on roads and bridges surrounding downtown total $153 million. And current and announced privately funded projects total more than $450 million. From Fortune 500s to new start-ups, businesses are choosing downtown Tulsa for its growth opportunities, talented work force, and affordable business costs.

One West Third St. Tulsa, OK 74103 918-560-0240

jmclaughlin@tulsachamber.com www.GrowMetroTulsa.com

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Renaissance.

Tulsa is revitalizing its downtown with a new 18,000-seat arena, baseball park, arts center, restaurants, retail, housing and hotels, and companies of all sizes and industries are taking notice. From Fortune 500s to new start-ups, businesses are choosing the Tulsa region for its growth opportunities, talented workforce and affordable business costs. Find out why Tulsa and northeast Oklahoma are the perfect location for your business: growmetrotulsa.com.

Justin McLaughlin, CEcD | Senior Vice President | Economic Development | jmclaughlin@tulsachamber.com Tulsa Regional Chamber | One West Third Street, Suite 100 | Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103 | 800.624.6822

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TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

TENNESSEE: A BUSINESS CLIMATE BUILT FOR SUCCESS

If you need to reach customers or suppliers throughout the U.S. or around the world, Tennessee’s ideal location will ensure your needs are met. The world’s second-busiest cargo airport is located in Memphis, and we have immediate access to eight interstate highways, reaching most major U.S. markets within a 24-hour drive or less. We also offer six Class 1 railroads crisscrossing the state and more than 1,000 miles of navigable waterways.

Ensuring companies have a steady pipeline of educated and well-trained employees is also a top priority for us. Tennessee is a national leader in education reform, with the country’s largest improvement in high school graduation rates between 2006 and 2010. We’re poised to achieve a 90 percent graduation rate by 2020, and through our “Drive to 55” initiative, we are ensuring that 55 percent of Tennesseans hold an advanced degree by 2025.

Tennessee’s pro-business climate is second to none.

Whether it’s our own fiscal responsibility, our low business costs or our recent legislative changes, you’ll find doing business in the Volunteer State an efficient and effective proposition.

Led by Governor Bill Haslam, a former private-sector businessman, Tennessee knows how to keep its own costs in order and successfully navigate through uncertain economic times. We have the lowest state debt per capita in the nation, along with the second-lowest state and local taxes paid per capita according to The Tax Foundation.

Tennessee is a triple-A rated state, and we’ve been called the third-best-run state in the country by Barron’s. And, if that’s not enough, we are a right-towork state with no personal income tax on wages.

We make sure our legal system ensures efficient business operations as well. Our workers’ compensation laws were changed to provide a new, streamlined claims process that does not involve the state court system, and our tort laws were modified to limit potential damages by placing a cap on liability while eliminating forum-shopping.

Tennessee’s business climate and quality work force have attracted some of the world’s biggest brands to our state. Among those headquartered here include FedEx, HCA Holdings, International Paper, Dollar General, Community Health Systems, Unum Group, Auto Zone, Eastman Chemical, Vanguard Health Systems, Nissan North America, Bridgestone, ServiceMaster, Tractor Supply Company, and Regal Entertainment Group, just to name a few.

Select Tennessee for your next relocation or expansion project and you’ll see for yourself why so many companies find success in our state.

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Memphis Regional Megasite: Deal-Ready in Tennessee The Memphis Regional Megasite (MRM) has everything needed to be the home of the next major manufacturing development in the Southeastern United States.

A central location, massive size, solid infrastructure, and a committed team of business and government leaders make this Tennessee site the future of manufacturing in the Southern Automotive Corridor.

plus additional acres in adjoining properties, and it is the last remaining TVA megasite in the state.

“Having worked closely on the development of the Chattanooga megasite now home to Volkswagen, I know firsthand the work required to ensure a site is ready for new industry,” Deputy Governor Claude Ramsey said. “We took no shortcuts on the Chattanooga project, and it paid off tenfold for the people of Tennessee with the creation of thousands of jobs. We have that same determination with the Memphis Regional Megasite.”

Located in Haywood County, Tenn., a population of 1.8 million is located within a 65-mile drive of the MRM. In addition, the site is within 50 miles of 10 four-year colleges, six two-year institutions, and six state technology centers.

“The Memphis Regional Megasite is an asset, and we’re committed to leveraging it to bring jobs to West Tennessee,” Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam said.

“Funding for the megasite is a priority, and in 2012 we included an additional $25 million in our budget for site infrastructure. We are working to make this site a prime location for a major employer.”

“To say the Memphis Regional Megasite is a premier site in the South is an understatement,” Tennessee Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty said. “From its central location to its massive size, I have no doubt that this site will be the next home to one of the world’s leading manufacturers.”

Tennessee is investing more than $57 million in the 3,840 acre site, which sits a mere 45 minutes from the Memphis International Airport and the FedEx World Headquarters — one of the single greatest pieces of transportation and logistics infrastructure in the world. CSX Rail connects the MRM to four Class I rail systems in the Memphis area.

The MRM is certified by McCallum Sweeney Consulting through the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) Megasite Certification program. It features a square core site of 1,720 acres and another 2,100-

W. Allen Borden Assistant Commissioner, Business Development Division Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development

312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue Nashville, TN 37243-0405 615-532-1294 Fax: 615-741-7306

allen.borden@tn.gov www.tn.gov/ecd

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AMEREN C O R P O R AT I O N

hensive community profile/demographic data and geographic (GIS) mapping capabilities

AMEREN — BRINGING VALUE TO THE LOCATION PROCESS Uniquely positioned across a two-state region — including central and southern Illinois, mid-Missouri, southeast Missouri, and the St. Louis metropolitan area — Ameren’s economic development team provides professional development services to those assisting the business expansion and site selection process. As the people and infrastructure behind the delivery of electric and natural gas services across a diverse and dynamic part of the Midwest, Ameren brings its breadth of knowledge and understanding of service area resources, coupled with its ability to positively affect the long-term cost competitiveness of its customers, to facilitate business growth, expansion, and competitive sustainability.

• Ameren Elite designates sites as “shovel-ready” following a thorough evaluation process. The program is designed to reduce the up-front risk, to the extent, possible, for prospective business development prospects.

• Project management expertise — The Ameren team is there well beyond the first turn-of-dirt in project construction. Backed by the men and women of Ameren (over 9,000 strong), we serve as an integral partner throughout construction to assist with infrastructure design/construction and work with local officials to coordinate project management details. The Ameren team is also there to provide technical pricing, power quality, and energy management expertise to help customers maximize their energy value.

Ameren’s economic development team is focused on making connections for your business clients throughout the bi-state region. Built on a foundation of strong relationships and a common stake in sustainable community and regional development, we bring a unique mix of resources, access to data, and contact networks. Ameren is the ideal “first stop” in the site search process for those looking for the right site for the right value.

Value-Added Programs Expedite the Search Process Growing companies must be agile, strategic in their business decisions, and prudent in their investments.

Site selection decisions must be absolutely on target.

Ameren’s economic development staff stands ready to help site selection consultants with key value-added development services including: • LocationOne Information System (LOIS), an online searchable community database that provides detailed information on buildings and sites, as well as compre-

Michael S. Kearney Manager, Economic Development Ameren Corporation

1901 Chouteau Avenue St. Louis, MO 63103

34 www.ConsultantsSiteGuide.com

800-981-9409 Fax: 314-206-0182

mkearney@ameren.com www.ameren.com/EcDev

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Powerful results.

You know us as an energy provider, but we’re also an engine for regional prosperity. Ameren’s Economic Development team offers vital services for new and expanding companies—and we help local communities stay competitive, too. Last year, our efforts supported new business investment of $490 million in Illinois and Missouri.

Because we believe an energy provider should provide more than energy: We should be a resource for life.

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NEBRASKA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

• Commitment to first-class infrastructure for all industries, and to offering available sites and buildings • Fair and balanced litigation and regulatory environment • Two strategically located foreign-trade zones • Low cost of living and high-ranking quality of life

NEBRASKA — THE STRATEGIC BUSINESS LOCATION When it comes to doing business, there’s a level of commitment you’ll find in Nebraska unlike anywhere else.

What makes Nebraska stand apart from other locations? It’s the history of strong local, state, and federal partnerships working to ensure that companies’ needs are fully met. It’s the people residing in more than 520 incorporated villages, towns, and cities throughout the state — be they business, civic, education, or nonprofit leaders and officials, as well as potential employees, all of whom will impact the bottom line or shape the quality of life.

Among the state’s tremendous advantages are: • Below national average utility costs • Comprehensive state and local financial incentives • Right-to-work state • Central U.S. location • Speed to markets with minimal congestion, along with short commute times • Highly educated, motivated, and productive work force possessing excellent work ethic

Gary Hamer, Deputy Director Nebraska Department of Economic Development

301 Centennial Mall South P.O. Box 94666 Lincoln, NE 68509-4666

36 www.ConsultantsSiteGuide.com

Look no further than the growing list of small, medium, and large businesses, including stalwart Fortune 1000 companies Berkshire Hathaway, Cabela’s, ConAgra Foods, Mutual of Omaha, Peter Kiewit Sons’, TD Ameritrade, Union Pacific Railroad, Valmont Industries, Werner Enterprises, and West Corporation that all call Nebraska home.

One of the newest companies to call Nebraska home is Fidelity Investments, one of the world’s largest providers of financial services with assets under administration of $3.7 trillion, including managed assets of $1.6 trillion as of last August. Upon completion, its state-of-the-art data center will employ approximately 30–35. The company has committed to and expects to invest a minimum $200 million to build and outfit its new data center in Papillion, Nebraska. The company cited the state’s low power rates, central U.S. location, and array of available incentives as key factors in its final decision.

Other recent expansions include: • Union Pacific’s planned $1 billion investment on projects in the state during the next several years includes the addition of track and technology upgrades, new crew change buildings, and a bridge.

About 8,000 of Union Pacific’s 45,000 employees are in Nebraska, creating a payroll of nearly $1 billion.

• Neapco Components, a leading manufacturer of driveline components and assemblies for automotive, off-road, and commercial vehicle markets, added 150 jobs at its Beatrice, Nebraska plant.

Join these businesses in experiencing Nebraska’s Advantages.

800-426-6505 Fax: 402-471-3778

gary.hamer@nebraska.gov www.neded.org

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Business friendly regulatory atmosphere World class telecommunications infrastructure Wage credits, including teleworkers Research and development credits Available sites and buildings Low cost, reliable power Key transportation routes Unmatched work ethic Real estate tax refunds Investment tax credits Minimal congestion Speed to markets Centrally located

A great place to live, work and play. And most of all, a great place to grow a business.

Advantages abound in Nebraska Call us at 1-800-426-6505 or visit: www.NebraskaAdvantage.biz

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NEBRASKA PUBLIC POWER DISTRICT

population in just one day. Within two days, that percentage skyrockets to 91 percent.

The Union Pacific, headquartered in Omaha, and the BNSF Railway Company are two key railroads that enable strategic supply-chain delivery by way of direct, mid-continent routes. Because of these main rail centers, no major city in the United States is more than five days away by train.

LET YOUR HEART LEAD YOU TO NEBRASKA

Nebraskans take pride in the quality of their work, and the work force consists of productive, dependable, educated, and well-trained individuals who care about what they do. This contributes to high productivity and success rates, and low absenteeism and turnover rates. Nebraska maintains an unemployment rate of 3.8 percent, less than half of the nationwide unemployment rate of 7.7 percent. Unemployment insurance costs and workers’ compensation insurance also are lower than the national average.

Ask a bystander where Nebraska is found on a map and he’ll point to the heart of America. But its location is not the only reason Nebraska remains central in offering unique benefits and attractions for new business considering the area. At the core of any successful business is reliable energy, and Nebraska is the only state in the nation where all electric utilities are publicly owned to ensure affordable, quality electricity.

Nebraska wants to lay out the welcome mat for new business. Nebraska Public Power District’s Economic Development Team has assisted hundreds of companies find productive and profitable locations in the state. Services run the gamut from supplying requested information to guiding firms through the entire site selection process. This can range from gathering community proposals, identifying informational and financial resources, or facilitating final negotiations at the local level.

Nebraska is dedicated to providing some of the lowest electric rates in the United States through a multifaceted and environmentally-friendly generation “mix,” which includes carbon-free wind, nuclear and hydro generation, as well as coal, gas, oil, and diesel. The combination of generating resources guarantees the 2,000-plus industries located in the area constant electric reliability. After all, there is no middle road when it comes to dependable electricity.

Geographically, Nebraska is center stage to regional markets. Interstate Highway 80, the most traveled east-west transcontinental route of the interstate highway system, offers 482 miles of quick access to everywhere in the nation. Through Nebraska’s roadways, goods delivered by truck reach 26 percent of the U.S.

Economic Development Manager Nebraska Public Power District

38 www.ConsultantsSiteGuide.com

P.O. Box 499 Columbus, NE 68602 800-282-6773, ext 5534

econdev@nppd.com econdev.nppd.com

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Global market access. Excellent labor force. Centralized transportation routes. Low energy costs. Thousands of businesses have already discovered what makes Nebraska a place of unequaled potential. There’s ample opportunity for you, too. Consider this your personal invitation to enjoy everything that makes business in Nebraska great.

133605

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econdev.nppd.com 800.282.6773, ext. 5534 | econdev@nppd.com

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COLUMBUS 2020

quarters and business services, agbioscience, and international business — adding up to a plethora of employment opportunities for the Region’s talented workforce.

THE COLUMBUS REGION: A DIVERSE AND GROWING ECONOMY The Columbus Region is a thriving 11-county area located in Central Ohio. Home to 15 Fortune 1000 headquarters, with two million people and a population growth rate of 1.3 percent annually, it’s one of the fastest-growing major metropolitan areas in the Midwest. The Columbus Region’s top-ranked location, educated workforce, and vibrant cultural scene make it the perfect place to locate, whether you’re looking to grow a business, a career, or a family.

The Columbus Region is home to an extremely capable, educated workforce growing at a rate substantially above the national average. The Ohio State University, one of the largest universities in the country, and 54 other colleges and university campuses with nearly 150,000 students are located in the Region. Our youthful, progressive nature is matched by a topranked location within a day’s drive of 47 percent of the U.S. population.

Recently ranked the No. 1 most favorable business location with accessibility to the American market, the Columbus Region is a strategic logistics hub — as evidenced by MSC Industrial’s $55 million investment last year, and many similar projects. Manufacturing is also strong, anchored by automotive giant Honda and its various regional suppliers. The Region’s largest employer, JPMorgan Chase, is just one of the many business services companies that call the Columbus Region home.

A hotbed of science and technology companies, Columbus has earned Forbes magazine’s nod as the country’s third best city for tech jobs. The Region is also leading the way in agbioscience, experiencing dramatic growth in agriculture and food science at companies like Battelle and Abbott Nutrition. The Columbus Region also is home to nearly 600 international firms and is growing more global each year, providing even further reaching opportunities for employment and business partnership.

And the world is taking notice — the Columbus Region recently earned the distinction as the only U.S. region named a Top7 Intelligent Community by the Intelligent Communities Forum. Combine that with recognition by Gallup as the No. 2 metro for job creation, and it’s no wonder why so many great companies call the Columbus Region home.

With no single industry representing more than 17 percent of overall employment, the Columbus Region offers a diverse economy attractive to companies seeking a stable environment for growth. Key sectors include manufacturing, logistics, science and technology, head-

Kenny McDonald, CEcD Chief Economic Officer Columbus 2020

40 www.ConsultantsSiteGuide.com

150 S. Front St., Suite 200 Columbus, OH 43215 614-225-6060

km@columbusregion.com www.columbusregion.com

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C A N A DA Albany 9.2 hours

Toronto 7 hours

New York City 8.4 hours

Detroit

Madison

3.25 hours

8 hours

Philadelphia 7.25 hours

Chicago 5.5 hours

Indianapolis

Washington, D.C.

2.75 hours

6.5 hours

St. Louis 6.5 hours

Nashville

Charlotte

5.6 hours

6.7 hours

DRIVE TIMES 500 mile radius from Columbus

Memphis 8.6 hours

Atlanta Birmingham

8.3 hours

8.5 hours

Maybe it’s time to put the Columbus region on your map.

Find out for yourself what a strong centralized location can do for your bottom line. To learn more, visit columbusregion.com.

Where the new Midwest begins.

NETWORK PARTNER

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SOUTH CAROLINA POWER TEAM

SOUTH CAROLINA POWER TEAM OFFERS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE RATE

The South Carolina Power Team consists of Santee Cooper, the state’s electric generation and water utility, and 20 electric distribution cooperatives. This power system, the largest in South Carolina serving portions of all 46 counties, now offers a five year Economic Development Incentive Electric Rate to companies that locate or expand in its service area prior to December 31, 2015.

Economic Development Rate will benefit all customer classifications by attracting new load to the system and encouraging the expansion of existing companies.

Lonnie Carter, President and CEO of the South Carolina Public Service Authority (Santee Cooper), says, “Santee Cooper is committed to doing all we can to attract new industry and jobs to the state, and to encourage existing industries to expand here.”

In addition to providing a new incentive rate, the system has created 23 certified sites throughout the state and provides funding to help offset site preparation expenses. South Carolina Certified Sites are scored and rated by an independent third party against a comprehensive set of 161 standards that address the start-up demands of the manufacturing industry. Area Development rated South Carolina’s program #1 among certified site programs nationwide. Currently, the state has created 60 certified sites that may save up to six months of construction time and lower site evaluation costs of locating companies.

The experienced staff of economic developers at the South Carolina Power Team is prepared to provide power cost proposals utilizing its incentive rate and present certified sites or buildings as part of the state’s economic development program.

The Economic Development Incentive Rate provides for a reduction in the demand charge of 55% in the first year, 45% in the second year, and 35% in the third year of operation. After the third year, the discount is 25% and concludes in the fifth year with a 15% discount. While the new or expanding businesses must meet minimum employment and capital investment requirements in order to qualify for the rate, the

Contact Fred J. Gassaway, Executive Vice President of Marketing South Carolina Power Team

42 www.ConsultantsSiteGuide.com

1201 Main Street, Suite 1710 Columbia, SC 29201

803-254-9211 Fax: 803-771-0233

Fgassaway@SCpowerteam.com http://www.scpowerteam.com

Why SouthCarolina?

Many world-class companies have chosen South Carolina.

Find out why.

RANKED #1 IN COMPETITIVE UTILITY RATES RANKED #1 IN CERTIFIED SITES/SHOVEL READY PROGRAMS Ranked #2 for Doing Business in Area Development’s Top States Survey of Site Location Consultants A Right to Work state Most efficient port in the Southeast in Charleston

★

Boeing selected South Carolina for its new Dreamliner 787 assembly plant BMW has the largest work force of any U.S. auto assembly plant

Contact Fred Gassaway at

Fgassaway@SCpowerteam.com The Electric Cooperatives & Santee Cooper

Visit www.SCpowerteam.com 1201 Main St., Suite 1710, Columbia, SC 29201 I (803) 254-9211

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LUBBOCK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE

personalized service, while providing a pipeline of skilled and qualified talented personnel to fill your work force needs. Home to Texas Tech University, two private universities, and a fast-growing community college, Lubbock County boasts more than 50,000 college students. Texas Tech University is the only campus in the nation with a comprehensive university, a health sciences center, an agriculture college, and a law school in one location.

LUBBOCK: THE “HUB CITY” A “hub” for retail, healthcare, education, and more, Lubbock is widely known as the “Hub City.” The nickname is also related to Lubbock’s accessible location on the crossroads of Interstate 27 (I-27) and four major U.S. highways. Lubbock’s diverse economy is based on manufacturing, agriculture, wholesale and retail trade services, as well as government, education, and healthcare. Companies looking to expand or relocate look to the Lubbock Economic Development Alliance (LEDA) as a single point of contact when it comes to connecting resources for financial incentives, work force initiatives, cost of doing business data, real estate, transportation information, and more.

With a regional population base of more than 287,000 people, Lubbock’s size affords businesses access to dedicated community leaders and

Mike Hatley, Director of Business Recruitment Lubbock Economic Development Alliance

Lubbock offers some of the most affordable rates in Texas when it comes to the cost of doing business and the cost of living. In fact, Lubbock is ranked No. 1 in the nation for lowest cost of utilities and No. 32 in the nation for lowest cost of living, according to The Council for Community & Economic Research (3rd Quarter 2012).

Lubbock’s real estate opportunities are vast and steadily growing. The Lubbock Business Park is a 586-acre tract of land located on I-27 approximately one mile south of Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport. Shovelready sites and notable companies reside in the Lubbock Business Park today. Located just north of the airport is the Lubbock Rail Port, a 526-acre tract of land that provides convenient access to I-27, the airport, and the BNSF Railway. The Lubbock Rail Port is buzzing with activity thanks to an additional 200 acres and $1.5 million matching grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration.

Lubbock is ready for your business. Since 2004, the Lubbock Economic Development Alliance has assisted 116 companies in their expansion or relocation to Lubbock. The team at LEDA offers a number of incentive options including financial resources to offset costs associated with the relocation or expansion of a business. LEDA believes that every economic development project is unique and that each project should get the attention it deserves.

1500 Broadway, 6th Floor Lubbock, TX 79401

44 www.ConsultantsSiteGuide.com

Phone: 806-749-4500 Fax: 806-749-4501

mike.hatley@lubbockeda.org www.lubbockeda.org

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Plano,Texas, located 19 miles north of downtown Dallas, is the fourth-largest city in the Dallas-Fort Worth region with over 261,900 residents. Plano has a national reputation as one of the best places for professional families to live and work, with its excellent public and private schools, low crime rate and affordable homes.

Plano is home to many leading global corporations. It provides a talented workforce, a competitive business climate, world-class business parks and superior accessibility. A 30-minute drive to DFW International Airport and a Central Time Zone location provide quick access to both U.S. coasts. Plano recently landed a series of high-profile company relocations and expansion projects including Encana Oil & Gas (U.S.A.), Investor’s Business Daily and Pizza Hut/Yum! Restaurants International. In 2012, over 2.1 million square feet and 4,200 jobs were created.

Plano continues to be one of the best places in the U.S. to relocate or expand your business.Take a moment to look over the recent noteworthy accolades:

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• The City of Plano was named #1 “Best Run City” by 24/7 Wall St. for 2012.

• Plano ranked 18th on the “Happiest Places for Young Professionals” list published by CareerBliss.com.

• Money magazine ranked Collin County 6th in the nation on its prestigious list of “Best Places to Live for Job Growth.”

• Men’s Health magazine named Plano to its list of “Best Cities for Men 2012.”

• Texas was ranked the “Best State for Business” for the eighth year in a row by Chief Executive Magazine in its annual survey of CEOs. Plano offers incentives on a case-by-case basis to stimulate business attraction, retention, redevelopment and expansion. Follow us on our social media, use your smart phone to scan our QR codes to connect, or go online to planotexas.org.

To learn more about our business opportunities, contact Sally Bane, Executive Director at sallyb@plano.gov.

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Plano provides companies access to the entire Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. We’re only 30-minutes away from DFW International Airport. Plano boasts a lower cost of living, less taxes and a young, talented and highly educated workforce.

Connect with us or go online at planotexas.org and ďŹ nd out why so many others call Plano home.

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'RANITE 0ARKWAY s 3UITE s 0LANO 4EXAS s s PLANOTEXAS ORG

TEXAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM

THE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE TO RELOCATING OR EXPANDING YOUR BUSINESS IN TEXAS Texas is the best state in the nation in which to live, work, and conduct business. Texas’ business climate continues to attract national and international attention thanks to our low taxes — including no personal income tax — business-driven tort reform, and low cost of doing business. Additionally, Texas leads the nation in job growth, adding over 670,200 jobs over the last three years.

expand or relocate to Texas. Since its inception, the fund has become one of the state's most competitive tools to recruit and bolster business. To date, the TEF has invested more than $490 million and closed the deal on projects generating 67,000 new jobs and more than $19.9 billion in capital investment in the state.

Another important economic development tool is the Texas Emerging Technology Fund (TETF), created by the Texas legislature at the Governor’s request in 2005 to help expedite the development and commercialization of new technologies and recruit the best research talent to Texas universities. To date, the TETF has allocated more than $200 million in funds to 140 earlystage companies, and over $216 million in grantmatching and research superiority funds to Texas universities.

Texas’ economic clout, combined with its beautiful landscapes, warm weather, and world famous hospitality, makes Texas the premier destination for families and businesses looking to relocate. Whether it’s high tech or a more traditional industry, or employers large and small, the Lone Star State is committed to doing what it takes to keep Texas Wide Open for Business To learn more about business opportunities in Texas, please visit our website.

Texas, recognized around the world for its jobs-friendly climate, was ranked the number-one exporting state for the 11th consecutive year in 2012, with export revenues totaling $265.4 billion. In 2012 Texas was named America’s Top State for Business by CNBC and dominated Forbes’ Best Cities for Good Jobs list with five cities in the top ten. Additionally, Texas is home to 102 Fortune 1000 headquarters.

Texas also has key economic development tools to help attract jobs and employers, including the Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF), an innovative deal-closing fund that provides incentives to businesses looking to

Aaron Demerson, Executive Director Office of the Governor – Economic Development & Tourism

P.O. Box 12428 Austin, Texas 78711 512-936-0101 512-936-0080

locatetx@governor.state.tx.us www.Texaswideopenforbusiness.com

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I N I T I AT I V E S PRINCE GEORGE

PRINCE GEORGE — IDEALLY SITUATED FOR INVESTMENT Nestled in the heart of British Columbia, Prince George has a population of nearly 80,000 and a thriving economy that offers a diverse range of opportunities for new business investment. The city’s role as the service and supply hub for a growing region of about 335,000 people and its superior transportation connectivity make Prince George the preferred location for companies looking to establish or expand their operations.

Prince George’s economy is well diversified across a variety of sectors including natural resources, education, healthcare, and professional services. The city is well connected to domestic and international markets through an international airport (YXS), the transcontinental CN Rail line, provincial Highways 16 and 97, and its proximity to major West Coast ports.

A broad selection of competitively priced commercial space is available in all areas of Prince George, with options to suit all types of business ventures. In addition, serviced light and heavy industrial lands are well planned and available. Development cost charges in Prince George are among the lowest in British Columbia, and the city offers competitive tax rates for business and industry.

Prince George is home to the main campuses of the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) and the College of New Caledonia (CNC), which have a combined annual student population of about 10,000. These institutions provide a wide range of programming to facilitate the continued development of the Prince George labor force with the diverse skill sets needed to support business expansion across all industries.

Prince George offers an affordable quality of life, where four-season recreation opportunities — amidst the natural beauty of the outdoors — are complemented by a full range of urban amenities. All of these qualities differentiate Prince George from other locations, making the city a preferred location to live, work, play, and invest.

Find out more about what Prince George has to offer.

Heather Oland, Chief Executive Officer Initiatives Prince George Economic Development Corporation

201 – 1300 First Avenue Prince George, British Columbia Canada V2L 2Y3

50 www.ConsultantsSiteGuide.com

250-564-0282 Fax: 250-649-3200 info@initiativespg.com oland@initiativespg.com

www.liveprincegeorge.ca www.investprincegeorge.ca

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PRINCE GEORGE. BRITISH COLUMBIA. CANADA GROWTH. OPPORTUNITY. INVESTMENT.

Leading the Way for British Columbia PG Farmers Market – TourismPG

Home in Malaspina Ridge – InitiativesPG

Prince George, British Columbia has a growing economy that offers a diverse range of opportunities for new business investment. The city’s role as the service and supply hub for one of the fastest-growing regions in Canada makes Prince George the preferred location for companies looking to invest or expand their operations.

Growth: • Prince George has a population of almost 80,000 (+4.0% population growth over the past five years) and is the service and supply hub for a growing region of about 335,000 people.

River View at Fort George Park – City of PG

University of Northern British Columbia

• The city’s superior transportation connectivity makes it the preferred location for companies looking to be a part of the $70 billion in resource projects proposed and underway in northern BC over the next ten years.

Opportunity: Tech Stop at PG Airport – InitiativesPG

Downtown Prince George – Capture PG

• Prince George is the northern centre for business, health, education, culture and shopping for BC. • The city is well-connected to domestic and international markets through an international airport (YXS), the transcontinental CN Rail line, provincial Highways 16 and 97 and its proximity to major west coast ports.

• The Prince George economy is well-diversified across a variety of sectors, supplying goods and services throughout northern BC, Canada and the globe.

Welding – CapturePG

Container Loading at CN – InitiativesPG

Investment: • A broad selection of competitively-priced commercial space is available in all areas of Prince George, with options to suit all types of business ventures.

Rainbow Dancers – Multicultural Heritage Society

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• Development cost charges in Prince George are among the lowest in BC and the City offers competitive tax rates for business and industry (starting at 16.28 per $1,000 of assessed value).

• Prince George is home to the University of Northern British Columbia and the College of New Caledonia, which provide a wide range of programming to facilitate the continuous development of the Prince George labour force.

Cougars WHL Hockey – TourismPG

For business inquiries, site selection services and additional information, contact: Initiatives Prince George Economic Development Corporation Tel: 250.564.0282 I info@initiativespg.com I www.initiativespg.com

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GRAND ISLAND AREA EDC

GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA: YOUR WAREHOUSE/DISTRIBUTION DESTINATION One of the best locations for a warehouse/distribution center, Grand Island (Nebraska) is definitely worth a closer look.

We are strategically located in the middle of the country and from here we can serve North America, Canada, and Mexico.

No other community in Nebraska can offer such a well-connected network of highways to all points in the state. This grid of highways, like the spokes of a wheel, can provide the most efficient commuting time to the entire state from any location.

Serving Grand Island directly are Interstate 80; U.S. Highways 30, 34, and 281; and Nebraska Highway 2, with key lateral connections to U.S. Highway 6 and Nebraska Highways 92, 14, and 11.

Besides the well-connected network of highways, Grand Island is the crossroads of two Cornhusker Industrial Park Class 1 rail systems — Union Mega Site (Over 500 Acres) • Dual Rail Service • Easy Access • No Residential within 20 Square Miles Pacific and Burlington NorthernSanta Fe. Grand Island’s Economic Development Corporation is the owner of Cornhusker Industrial Park. This mega site has over 900 acres with access to dual rail service and is unencumbered by residential development.

Platte Valley Industrial Park Located in the southernmost Zoned Light Manufacturing • Lots 5 Acres up to 13 • Shovel Ready portion of the City of Grand Island is the Platte Valley Industrial Park East. This park is particularly suited for a warehouse/distribution center or manufacturer. There are up to 440 acres, all being zoned heavy manufacturing.

Grand Island appears to have Platte Valley Industrial Park East Up to 280 Acres • Zoned Heavy Mfg. • Served by U.P. Railroad • Tax Increment Financing Eligible all the keys to a successful operation. There is plenty of land, a strong infrastructure, a multitude of transportation avenues, an industrious work N E B R A S K A force, government relationships that expedite development, and much more. Grand Island is a vibrant community that lives Our skilled workforce and central location with and works together.

The right incentives.

The right location.

The right choice.

direct access to major highways and two Class 1 railroads, make Grand Island the right location to expand your business.

Denise McGovern, Executive Assistant Grand Island Area EDC P.O. Box 1151, Grand Island, NE 68802 • 800.658.4283 • www.grandisland.org

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dmcgovern@grandisland.org www.grandisland.org

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FacilityLocations.com

Find the Right Location for Your Next Business Site, Facility or Headquarters FacilityLocations is a GIS map-driven, online economic development directory used to research potential locations during the business re-location or expansion process.

Discover Search and identify potential site and facility locations within big, easy-to-navigate, GIS-driven maps

Research Drill-down into location profile pages: • Google Streetview and Bing Bird’s Eye Imagery • Heat Maps and Data Layers • Downloadable Point-and-Click Radius Demographics Reports • Available Property Listings and Key RE Assets

Connect A directory with 5000+ listings including: • Local and Regional Economic Development Contacts • Port Authority Contacts • Utility Contacts • Foreign Trade Zone Contacts • Foreign Inward Investment Contacts If you are an economic development agency and want to have an enhanced listing with a location profile on FacilityLocations.com, please contact Dennis Shea at 800.735.2732 x 208 or dshea@areadevelopment.com

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Momentum.

Companies of all sizes and industries continue to choose the Tulsa region for its resiliency, its growth opportunities, talented workforce and affordable business costs. Tulsa ranked as a top metro area in more than 20 publications in 2012 and 2013 for its economy, real estate and quality of life – and people all over the world are taking notice. For more information, go to: growmetrotulsa.com.

Justin McLaughlin, CEcD | Senior Vice President | Economic Development | jmclaughlin@tulsachamber.com Tulsa Regional Chamber | One West Third Street, Suite 100 | Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103 | 800.624.6822

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