It's not just the state's new package of incentives that has corporations flying to, instead of over, the state. It's the human capital at its universities and colleges.
   Lincoln, home to the University of Nebraska and to a 100- employee expansion announced by Novartis in summer 2006, is also home to The University of Nebraska Technology Park,

Pictured left to right: Director of Corporate Real Estate/Facilities Operations for Verizon Wireless Blake Messinger, Midwest Area Vice President for Verizon Wireless Lou Sigillo, Lincoln Chamber of Commerce President Wendy Birdsall, Great Plains Region President for Verizon Wireless Nancy Clark, Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman, Lincoln Mayor Coleen Seng, Co-Chairman for the Lincoln Partnership of Economic Development Frank Hilsabeck and Nebraska State Senator Chris Beutler.

a 137- acre (55- hectare) project now approaching its 10th year. The park currently is home to 19 organizations employing 800 people. It includes the Nebraska Center for Excellence in Electronics, which provides testing for regulatory compliance of electronic products, product development support and training, in partnership with Southeast Community College.
   The park proved its worth yet again in early December, when Verizon Wireless announced it would open a $33- million, 112,800- sq.- ft. (10,479- sq.- m.) customer service center there, employing 800 when it opens in late 2007.
   "Lincoln and the state of Nebraska have succeeded in creating an inviting business climate," said Nancy B. Clark, president- Great Plains Region, Verizon Wireless. "We know that Lincoln is a great place to live and work and we look forward to continuing to grow our business with the people of Nebraska."
   The Lincoln call center is the company's first in the five- state Great Plains Region (which includes Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa). The center will provide support for the region's customers as well as calls from the 15- state Midwest Area's customers for questions on billing, price plan changes, voice and data products and equipment. Other call centers currently supporting the Midwest Area are located in Cranberry Woods, Pa.; Dublin, Ohio; Elgin, Ill.; Murfreesboro, Tenn.; St. Louis; and Southfield, Mich.
   The company recently announced plans for a new customer service center in Huntsville, Ala., which also will begin taking customer calls in late 2007. In the past two years, the company has opened new customer service centers in Albuquerque, N.M.; Hanover, Md.; Charleston, S.C.; Wilmington, N.C.; and Chandler, Ariz.; and expanded its centers in Columbia, S.C.; Atlanta; Southfield, Mich.; and Dublin, Ohio.
   Among the university centers available to park tenants are centers for Biological Chemistry, infrastructure research, electro- optics, non- traditional manufacturing, biotechnology and laser- analytic research and analysis, in addition to the Gallup Research Center.
   Omaha is home to one of the nation's 33 Advanced Technological Education (ATE) centers sponsored by the National Science Foundation. The Midwest Center for Information Technology is a partnership of 10 community colleges in the four- state region of Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota working in collaboration with K- 12 school districts, four- year colleges and universities, and employers to, strengthen and expand the region's information technology work force.