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Press Release

Texas, Kentucky Win Site Selection Magazine’s Governors Cup Awards

Top Metro and Micropolitan Areas for Corporate Facility Investment Also Named

Atlanta, March 1, 2016: Texas and Kentucky have won the 2015 Site Selection Governors Cups. This is the third year Site Selection recognizes the state with the most qualifying new and expanded facilities per capita, which Kentucky claims for its capital investment activity in 2015. Texas wins for having the most qualified projects of any state.

The 62-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 the Conway Projects Database. Site Selection, published by Conway Inc., is the senior publication in the corporate real estate and economic development fields and is the official publication of the Global FDI Association (www.globalfdia.org) 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 48,000 subscribers, most of whom are involved in corporate site selection decisions at the CEO/President/COO level.

The Lone Star State’s 702-project finish for 2015 is up from its 689-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 517, followed by Illinois (413), North Carolina (300) and Kentucky (285). In the per capita (per 1 million population) contest, Kentucky’s 285 projects won the day, followed by Nebraska (118), Ohio (517), Illinois (413) and Kansas (93).

“These are the same winning states in their respective categories as last year, and both are under new leadership in the governor’s office,” says Mark Arend, editor in chief of Site Selection. “Both governors tell me they are very proud of the economic development professionals in their states who do the hard work year in and year out of attracting new businesses and retaining existing ones. And both are committed to maintaining and building on the capital investment success they currently enjoy.”

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin is bringing his business world experience to bear as he meets with existing and prospective capital investors. “That experience already has given me the ability to connect with some of our business community, and that has given me some hope and excitement that as sharp as we have been, we will be sharper still in the years to come.”

Accepting Texas’ fourth consecutive Governor’s Cup win, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says, “Limiting regulation and cutting taxes empowers innovators and entrepreneurs to reach new heights. I am honored to accept Site Selection’s Governor’s Cup this year and look forward to many more years of promoting Texas’ environment of free enterprise and economic prosperity.”

Site Selection’s Conway Projects Database focuses on new corporate facility projects with significant impact, including headquarters, manufacturing plants, R&D operations and logistics sites, among others. 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 20 new jobs or (c) add at least 20,000 sq. ft. (1,858 sq. m.) of new floor area.

The March 2016 issue of Site Selection also features state rankings by region. For 2015, the regional leaders according to the traditional, total new projects measure are Pennsylvania (Northeast); Ohio (East North Central); Nebraska (West North Central); North Carolina (South Atlantic); Texas (South Central); Arizona (Mountain); and California (Pacific). Per capita regional leaders are Pennsylvania (Northeast); Ohio (East North Central); Nebraska (West North Central); North Carolina (South Atlantic); Kentucky (South Central); Nevada (Mountain) and Oregon (Pacific).

Top Metros and Micros

The Top Metros for new and expanded corporate facilities for 2015 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., was 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 — Findlay, Ohio, was tops among the nation’s 575 micropolitan areas, followed by Cullman, Ala.; Wooster, Ohio; Tupelo, Miss.; and a tie between Shelby, N.C., and Batavia, N.Y. Ohio once again led as the state with most Top Micropolitans (19).

“What all of the leading metros and micros have in common is a proactive cluster of corporate and civic leaders who know how to forge connections that make their companies and their communities stronger,” said Adam Bruns, managing editor of Site Selection.

All of the above stories are posted at the magazine’s award-winning website, www.siteselection.com.

Site Selection magazine, published by Conway Inc., delivers expansion planning information to 48,000 executives of fast-growing firms. The senior publication in the development field, Site Selection is also available via Site Selection Online. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., Conway, publisher of Site Selection magazine, the Conway Analytics Report and a family of online industry newsletters, has been a trusted advisor to corporations, government economic development and investment promotion agencies around the world since 1954. Conway owns and manages London-based Conway Events, organizer of worldwide FDI events; Berlin-based FDI advisory firm Terrain Consulting; and New York-based Conway PR & Marketing, a leading PR and lead-generation firm. Conway also manages the Industrial Asset Management Council and the Global FDI Association. Conway in 2013 launched a Custom Publishing Division that has published a number of prominent state economic development guides. Conway in 2015 cemented location advisory and lead generation cooperation agreements with Silverlode Consulting in the US and Tractus in Asia. Conway employs over 80 people in 10 offices in seven countries.

(Note: All circulation information is publisher’s own data unless otherwise specified).