A $10- million incentives package helped woo this 2,000-job expansion in the company's hometown, which won out over competing locations at AFLAC sites in Nebraska and New York.    Altria/Philip Morris is creating 500 jobs at this site, which beat out Research Triangle Park in North Carolina with a package that includes a 10- year abatement on property taxes, plus an estimated $12 million in aid from the Commonwealth of Virginia. In addition, $3 million in road improvement funds for work around the park has been penciled into the federal transportation bill. The project will be constructed in downtown Richmond, on land donated by the city to the Virginia BioTechnology Research Park.    One of the original Big Three is not suffering as much as the other Two, as evidenced by multiple projects across North America and globally. This project is seeing a $32- million package from the state of Missouri, half of it in training funds, as well as 46 million in tax abatements from Fenton and St. Louis Co. over 15 years.    A $10-million incentive package involving job creation tax credits and sales tax rebates helped Northern Kentucky hang on to 2,900 jobs and welcome the possibility of 1,500 more. But one of the keys to Covington winning out over Salt Lake City for this project (the company's fourth expansion here) was a nine-year planning process among the city, Kenton County, the Commonwealth of Kentucky and Northern Kentucky Tri-ED that finally resulted in a new $17.5-million access road to the Fidelity campus.    "Multifaceted" only begins to describe this sequence of investments, which includes new vehicle and engine technology investments at GM Canada's home base in Oshawa, rated the most productive plant in North America in 2005 by the Harbour Report. The company's St. Catharines powertrain plant will also see investment, as will its joint venture with CAMI in Ingersoll. Perhaps just as striking are the multiple R&D, education and training investments such as the University of Ontario Institute of Technology's Automotive Center of Excellence, part of a Canadian Automotive Innovation Network including eight of the nation's leading higher education institutions. Topping off the plans, the company reached a tentative three-year agreement with the Canadian Auto Workers union in September 2005.    On June 7, Spain-based Repsol YPF and Canada's Irving Oil signed agreements to develop a US$750- million LNG import and regasification terminal in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, the first complex of its kind on Canada's East Coast. Key to the decision was a strongly opposed measure by the city's common council that froze property taxes at CA$500,000 (US$406,000) annually for 25 years.    The addition of 400 jobs with an average salary of $70,000 pales in comparison to the retention of 1,800, as Chinese concern Lenovo makes its entree onto the U.S. corporate stage. Partners included the North Carolina Dept. of Commerce, the Morrisville Chamber and Progress Energy. The project will see a JDIG grant as well as $750,000 from One North Carolina fund, and is symbolic of a national trend that is seeing more projects and queries from Chinese companies.    The largest manufacturing investment in Virginia Beach history will mean 300 new jobs at the Stihl complex that originally opened with 50 employees in 1974. The region's touted work force quality and quality of life overcame significant advantages of competing international locations in Sao Leopoldo, Brazil; Wil, Switzerland; and Waiblingen, Germany.    After evaluating more than 20 sites in the south-central U.S., Steelscape chose a site in Shreveport, a community it was introduced to by supplier McElroy Metal.

After evaluating more than 20 sites in the south-central U.S., Steelscape chose a site in Shreveport after being introduced to the community by supplier McElroy Metal. Steelscape's $200- million project is just one part of booming development in and around the Port of Shreveport-Bossier.

Reached in early March, Eric England, executive director of the Port of Shreveport- Bossier, said phase I was complete and equipment was being installed, a mere year after initially meeting company officials. The Port has seen multiple other projects, and expects several Steelscape customers to commit to sites for their own manufacturing and distribution facilities. He says there are 800 acres (324 hectares) ready for development at the port. Near term, up to 3,000 acres (1,215 hectares) may become ready for commercial and industrial development, possibly expanding to 10,000 acres (4,050 hectares) in the long term.    The 500 new jobs associated with this automotive electronics expansion project build on the 140 jobs created by its $68- million expansion in 2002, and match the job total of DENSO's other new project, a $35- million plant in Osceola, Ark. The Maryville complex was established in 1988 by DENSO predecessor Nippodenso, after the community narrowly missed landing the Toyota manufacturing plant that went to Georgetown, Ky. The new project will lift its area payroll to 3,000.