Northern Kentucky

"Having the Delta and Comair hubs at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport has impacted all of Kentucky," says Gene Strong, noting the presence of the DHL Express hub as well. "Those air hubs, whether cargo or passenger, have been major engines in our efforts here."
        The airport was ranked second-best in the world by world travelers surveyed by Official Airline Guide Worldwide in 1999. The airport sees up to an average of 125 landings and takeoffs during its busiest hours, leading its board to propose the addition of a fourth runway by 2006, which is expected to cost $85 million. Comair, which leads the nation in its number of commuter flights, was named Regional Airline of the Year for 2000 by Air Transport World magazine, the second

time the carrier has won that honor in the past 10 years. In fact, the airport is an economic developer itself. Citing 300 to 400 job openings at any one time, it opened what is thought to be the first airport-based employment office in the country in January, serving the needs of the 80 companies that do business in and around the facility.

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        Among recent area developments, DHL Worldwide Express is expanding its hub with a $270 million investment, expecting to add 700 jobs by 2010. Over 200 companies in the area have foreign ownership, and over 60 companies have built headquarters there.
        According to study results released in November by Thomas Zinn, staff economist for the Tri-County Economic Development Corp. (Tri-ED), the region's job recruitment and retention agency, new and expanding companies created 1,249 jobs and added $186 million to Northern Kentucky's economy over the previous year. Tri-ED serves Boone, Campbell and Kenton Counties. Among the new and expanding area players are GATX Logistics, Meiwa Electric Corp., Steinkamp Molding LP, Fidelity Investments, Cemm Thome, Indelac Controls and The Gap. Site Selection named the Tri-County Economic Development Corp. ( NorthernKentuckyUSA.com ) one of the Top 10 economic development groups for 1999 (see the May 2000 issue) with $317 million in new investment and 2,246 new jobs. In 2000, Tri-ED boosted funding in its Existing Industry Program from $20,000 to $235,000 to work more effectively with local companies in recruiting workers, obtaining workforce training grants and enhancing competitiveness.
        "Tri-ED has done what nobody's been able to do before -- brought all 39 incorporated cities and counties, private and public sectors together," says James Navolio. "The working relationship between Tri-ED and the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce is a lesson in regionalism."