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iven the lashing that Florida received from hurricanes in 2004, American Water, a division of RWE Thames Water, might have been pardoned for backing out of its plans to locate a technical support and customer service operations center in Pensacola — one of the hardest-hit areas of the state. After all, even companies like Fort Lauderdale-based U.S. Support understandably had shifted jobs to inland sites in other states. But American Water didn't let a little American water get in the way of its US$16-million, 220-job investment in Escambia County, which opened in May 2005.
      American Water COO Jim McGivern called the project "a testament to our continued success," and "part of our long-term business strategy to meet future customer demand and provide sustainability in our business continuity plans.""Sustainability" and "continuity" are oft-repeated bywords in the region, and welcome to the ears of community officials, after a year that saw five named storms hit the state in 48 days, a frequency and ferocity unprecedented in 130 years of recordkeeping.
      "We are thrilled American Water chose to expand its U.S.-based operations in Escambia County, especially during the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan," said Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. "Their decision to expand here exemplifies the company's commitment to the community and serves as a testament to the resiliency and strength of the Northwest Florida business climate."
      Such is the state's corporate attraction momentum after the Year of the Hurricane. Part of that momentum is provided by big industrial projects, including cement plant capacity expansions, which are helping to meet building materials needs at the same time they build up the Sunshine State's tax base and employment base. The rebuilding theme even extends to companies like Lowe's, which opened its new 1.3-million-sq.-ft. (120,770-sq.-m.) distribution center in Osceola Co. in October 2004, presenting the community with relief funds at the same time it presented it with 600 new jobs.
      The Conway Data New Plant Database shows Jacksonville leading the state in projects since July 2004, with the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale region hot on its tail and Orlando right behind them. And certainly the passage of CAFTA in July adds considerable and immediate momentum to the Miami area's claim to gateway status.
      Meanwhile, other numbers are coalescing in the state's favor too, most of them driven by numbers of people, weather or not.