Press Release Texas, Nebraska Win Site Selection Magazine’s Governor’s Cup Award for 2013 Top Metros and Top Micropolitans for Corporate Facility Location Also Named
Atlanta, March 3, 2014: Texas and Nebraska have won the 2013 Site Selection Governor’s Cup. This year marks the inauguration of a second Governor’s Cup, recognizing the state with the most qualifying new and expanded facilities per capita, which Nebraska claims for its capital investment activity in 2013. Texas wins for its claim to having the most qualified projects of any state – the traditional measure – with 657. The 60-year-old Atlanta-based magazine has awarded the Governor’s Cup annually since 1988 to the U.S. state with the most new and expanded corporate facilities as tracked by Conway Data Inc.’s New Plant Database. Site Selection, published by Conway Data Inc., is the senior publication in the corporate real estate and economic development fields and is the official publication of London-based Red Hot Locations and the Industrial Asset Management Council (IAMC, at www.iamc.org). Site Selection’s yearly analyses are regarded by corporate real estate analysts as “the industry scoreboard.” The magazine’s circulation base consists of 45,000 subscribers, most of whom are involved in corporate site selection decisions at the CEO/President/COO level. The Lone Star State’s 657-project finish for 2013 is down from its 761-project first place finish last year but is comfortably ahead of the runners-up in the traditional Governor’s Cup facilities race: Ohio is second with 480, followed by Illinois (383), Pennsylvania (348) and Michigan (312). In the per capita (per 1 million population) contest, Nebraska’s 109 projects won the day, followed by Ohio, Louisiana (180), Kentucky (163) and Kansas (105). Georgia appears in both contests’ top 10 lists, but Ohio places second in both. “Adding a second, per capita Governor’s Cup award gives states with smaller populations the opportunity to be recognized for economic development success along with more populous states that tend to draw higher numbers of capital investors,” says Mark Arend, editor in chief of Site Selection. “By either measure, the states ranking at or near the top are to be commended for fostering business climates that are most conducive to attracting capital investment and creating jobs. “I’m thrilled that Nebraska has earned the 2014 Governor’s Cup award and I appreciate Site Selection for recognizing small and medium-sized states,” said Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman. “We are focused on improving business and creating jobs in our state. Businesses locating in Nebraska are impressed with our friendly and honest citizens, our strong work ethic, low energy costs, low cost of living, great education system and an outstanding quality of life.” Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who now claims a fifth Governor’s Cup since becoming his state’s chief executive in December 2000, says states have to do four things right to be of interest to most corporate executives scouting new facility locations: taxes, regulation, the legal environment and a skilled workforce. “Businesses can figure out pretty quickly whether a state has done those right,” he tells Site Selection. “They need to work in any state. We have been doing this now for 12 years. It’s not a theory any more. It’s a fact. Companies nationally and internationally know what we have structured here in Texas.” Site Selection’s New Plant Database focuses on new corporate facility projects with significant impact. It does not track retail and government projects, or schools and hospitals. New facilities and expansions included in the analyses must meet at least one of three criteria: (a) involve a capital investment of at least US$1 million, (b) create at least 50 new jobs or (c) add at least 20,000 sq. ft. (1,858 sq. m.) of new floor area. New Take on New Plant Tallies; Top Metros and Micros The Top Metros for new and expanded corporate facilities for 2013 were led by Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Ill.-Ind.-Wis., among metro areas with populations over 1 million and Omaha-Council Bluffs, Neb.-Iowa, among areas with populations between 200,000 and 1 million. Sioux City, Iowa-Neb.-S.D.; Altoona, Pa., and Dubuque, Iowa tied for first among areas with populations between 50,000 and 200,000. Full lists of the Top 10 Metros in each population category appear below. In the magazine’s ranking of Top Micropolitans – cities of 10,000 to 50,000 people which cover at least one county – Wooster, Ohio., was tops among the nation’s 576 micropolitan areas, followed by Tupelo, Miss.; Cullman, Ala.; Findlay, Ohio; and Morgan City, La. Ohio led as the state with most Top Micropolitans. All of the above stories are posted at the magazine’s award-winning website, www.siteselection.com. Site Selection magazine, published by Conway Data Inc., delivers expansion planning information to 49,000 executives of fast-growing firms. The senior publication in the development field, Site Selection is also available via Site Selection Online. The publication also publishes or co-publishes e-newsletters, including The Site Selection Dispatch, Life Sciences Report, Aerospace Report and Energy Report; Site Selection International; The FDI Report; Trust Belt.com and the OnSITE Travel blog. The magazine’s redesign, content and online presence received multiple awards from the Magazine Association of the Southeast in 2013. Conway Data is an international publishing, consulting and association management company headquartered in Atlanta. Conway owns and manages London-based Red Hot Locations, organizer of world-wide FDI events; Berlin-based FDI advisory firm Terrain Consulting; New York-based The PONT Group, a leading PR and lead-generation firm; economic development education and research organization the Janus Institute; and manages the Industrial Asset Management Council and the FDI Association. CDI in 2013 launched a Custom Publishing Division that will rapidly grow its profile in 2014. (Note: All circulation information is publisher’s own data unless otherwise specified).
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