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RK Motors decided to put pedal to metal when the vintage muscle-car restoration business needed room to expand beyond its headquarters in Charlotte, N.C.

America's energy boom has been kind to Houston, the country's fastest-growing job market. As new discoveries of underground shale rich with pockets of natural gas create fertile fields of exploration and harvest for many of the world's largest energy companies, Houston is reaping a windfall of investment.

Not so fast, Buckeyes. Texas is back in a big way with a commanding first-place finish in the 2012 facilities race to claim the Governor’s Cup after a 34-project loss to Ohio last year. Not only did Texas reclaim the coveted trophy, but it did so with a whopping 761 projects, 270 more than first runner-up Ohio, which held its own relative to last year’s tally with just seven fewer projects (491).

The voters have spoken. The U.S. election of November 2012 resulted in very little visible change — Democrats retain control of the White House and the Senate, Republicans the House of Representatives and most governors’ mansions — 30 as of this month.

Site Selection is pleased to present its fourth annual Best to Invest rankings of nations and metro areas for investment-attraction activity in 2011. The national Investment Promotion Agencies recognized here were particularly successful in 2010 at attracting capital investment projects — both expansions of existing facilities and new projects — from investors at home and abroad.

A re-engineered approach to business development with a return-on-investment focus is already bearing fruit in Ohio Governor John Kasich’s new administration

If the path being beaten to Texas’ front door is any indication, there’s a better way to do things in the Lone Star State. Giving businesses some certainty with which to risk investment capital and expand their enterprises has been central to the state’s economic success.

Spectacular new technology and research parks are under way or in the planning stages around the globe. These parks are increasingly focusing on specific technologies such as clean technology or aerospace.

Texas Governor Rick Perry is proud to have won the latest pick-up basketball game with his fellow governors.

The following pages highlight recent corporate facility projects, new laws and incentives policies, wages, employment, demographics and infrastructure facts in one easy-to-digest compendium.

The world’s largest stand-alone Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) power project connected to the energy grid in Shanghai on July 18

Can the role of science and technology parks as engines of economic prosperity be overstated?

Given this economy, not doing as well in 2009 as in 2008 at attracting capital investment isn’t necessarily bad.

The following pages highlight recent corporate facility projects, new laws and incentives policies, updated FDI figures, wages, employment, demographics and Recovery Act funds facts in one easy-to-digest compendium.

How has North Carolina managed to rank No. 1 in Site Selection’s annual business climate rankings eight times in the past nine years? It may have something to do with its infrastructure of higher learning.