Posted by Heidi Schwartz

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A new report from the Columbia University Water Center, in conjunction with Veolia Water and Growing Blue, reveals that businesses and cities in America’s most iconic regions are now under greater risk of water scarcity. Utilizing a new research metric called the Normalized Deficit Cumulated (NDC) index in the America’s Water Risk: Water Stress and Climate Variability study, Columbia identifies top ten U.S. areas facing the highest climate-related risk of water shortages, including Washington, D.C and New York City. (PRNewsFoto/Growing Blue)

Posted by Heidi Schwartz

A new report from the Columbia University Water Center, in conjunction with Veolia Water and Growing Blue, reveals that businesses and cities in some of America’s most iconic regions are now under even greater risk of water scarcity.

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Four economic development organizations representing five Plains states have signed on to sponsor the ninth annual event, which will take place May 19 – 21, 2013 at the Westin Stonebriar in Dallas, Texas.

LiveXchange sponsors from the Plains will include:

• Joplin Regional Partnership (Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma)
• Overland Park Chamber of Commerce (Kansas)
• Quad Cities (Iowa, Illinois)
• Greater Oklahoma City Chamber (Oklahoma)

Sponsors representing the U.S. South, Southwest, Great Lakes, and New England/Mid-Atlantic will also be participating. A current list of all sponsors can be found by clicking here.

To learn more about LiveXchange, or to apply to attend, please click here.

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Søren Sørensen (left) and Jes Munk Hansen (right) of Grundfos.

Global water pump manufacturer Grundfos has broken ground on the site of its new North American headquarters in Downers Grove, IL. IL Gov. Pat Quinn and Downers Grove Mayor Martin Tully joined Grundfos executives Søren Sørensen and Jes Munk Hansen in ceremoniously initiating construction on the office and unveiling the LEED-certified design concepts for the space.

Sørensen, Grundfos Group Executive Vice President and Chairman of the Grundfos North American Board, explained the importance of Grundfos North America to the global business strategy: “North America is one of our most important growth markets and is the world’s single largest market for pumps with a total market of $6.5 billion. To grow our share of this market, we will continue to invest in product development, local production, and our workforce. We will grow our sales to $1 billion by 2017, and as a consequence of our growth, we anticipate adding a significant number of jobs in the U.S.”

According to Hansen, president of Grundfos North America, “The Chicago area is emerging as an important hub for the water industry and is one of the reasons why we’re establishing our North American headquarters here. Gov. Quinn and the state of Illinois have shown commitment to water issues, most recently through his $1 billion initiative to upgrade water infrastructure across the state, and we anticipate playing a major role in the further development of critical water initiatives in the state and around the country.”

Gov. Quinn, who recently launched the $1 billion Illinois Clean Water Initiative to protect public health, create thousands of jobs and overhaul the state’s aging water infrastructure, welcomed  the $4 billion Denmark-based company to Illinois.

“I am pleased that Grundfos has chosen Illinois as the location for their North American headquarters,” Quinn said. “The Clean Water Initiative has made Illinois even more attractive for international businesses like Grundfos. Today’s announcement will grow our economy and strengthen our water infrastructure, while creating jobs.”

The company is quick to add that local aspects also attracted its focus on the area such as world-class airports with access to local, regional and global flights and its strong talent pool for hiring in leadership, staff and support functions.

“Our community continues to be one of the premier locations for corporate headquarters and large office development projects” said Mayor Tully. “Grundfos is a world class company and we are proud to have them in Downers Grove.”

Sustainability is a major priority for Grundfos. In addition to manufacturing energy- and water-efficient pumping solutions, the company is committed to reducing its own impact on the environment. For its new headquarters, it is pursuing LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver for Commercial Interiors, the recognized system for certifying high-performance green tenant spaces, and will meet the following criteria:

• Water Efficiency: The office will take advantage of low-flow fixtures to reduce water consumption by at least 20 percent in the café area.
• Energy and Atmosphere: Up to 84 percent of office appliances will be Energy Star-approved and none of the heating, ventilation or air-conditioning equipment will use chlorofluorocarbon-based refrigerants. The office will also optimize energy performance by reducing power lighting density by up to 35 percent below industry standards and by utilizing occupancy sensors in at least 75 percent of lighting to prevent empty rooms from wasting energy.
• Materials and Resources: The headquarters will feature an area dedicated to the collection and storage of recyclable materials and up to 75 percent of construction waste will be diverted to recycling facilities rather than landfills. Furthermore, the office’s furniture, carpet, ceiling tiles and other materials will feature at least 20 percent recycled content.
• Indoor Environmental Quality: Smoking is not allowed in the building or within 25 feet of doors, windows or heating, ventilation and air-conditioning intakes. In fact, the office will exceed industry ventilation requirements by a minimum of 30 percent. Adhesives, sealants, paintings, coatings and flooring systems will use materials with low volatile organic compounds, which are gases emitted from certain solids or liquids that may have adverse health effects. The design takes advantage of daylight and views while maintaining comfortable temperatures.
• Sustainable Site: With more than ten basic services located within half a mile of the headquarters, employees can access what they need without getting in a car. In addition, two bus stops are within a quarter mile of the office, making public transportation a convenient option.

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Under the Natural Gas Modernization, Public Safety & Jobs Act (SB 1665/HB 2414), Ameren Illinois will invest $330 million and create 250 much-needed jobs to accelerate its ongoing efforts to strengthen and update its massive natural gas transmission, distribution and storage facilities in central and southern Illinois. The 10-year blueprint will reduce non-hazardous leaks and trim maintenance costs while delivering long-term savings for customers. The ICC will closely monitor the process and level penalties if Ameren Illinois fails to comply.

“This is an opportunity for Illinois to develop an important long-term energy infrastructure strategy and plan that creates savings and benefits for our customers while helping grow our economy,” said Richard Mark, president and CEO of Ameren Illinois. “The natural gas plan will help lay the foundation for economic development for years to come. As other states aggressively modernize and upgrade their natural gas infrastructures, Illinois cannot afford to fall behind.”

Ameren Illinois maintains approximately 1,250 miles of natural gas transmission lines and nearly 17,000 miles of delivery lines that feed service to more than 806,000 Illinois customers within a 43,700 square-mile territory in Central and Southern Illinois.

“A strong, modern energy infrastructure is critical to retaining and attracting employers who put Illinoisans to work,” said Jeff Mays, president of the Illinois Business Roundtable. “Illinois can regain its economic strength by creating vibrant employer growth, investing in technology and embracing new ways of doing things. It’s time to move Illinois forward.”

“Hundreds of dedicated men and women work hard every day to maintain a safe, reliable natural gas delivery system that millions of central and southern Illinoisans rely on every day to at work, school and home,” said Don Degonia, Business Manager of Plumbers and Fitters Local 360. “The Natural Gas Modernization, Public Safety & Jobs Act will enable us to make needed upgrades and enhancements to the system to the benefit of our customers and local economies.”

“The Natural Gas Modernization, Public Safety & Jobs Act requires crucial investment in the state’s infrastructure and workforce, giving Illinois a much-needed economic shot in the arm by creating and supporting 1,250 jobs statewide,” said Glyn Ramage, Business Manager LIUNA 12 Counties.  “We urge the legislature to pass this bill and put people to work modernizing these critical systems.”

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It takes something really extraordinary to put an entire industry into play, but that’s what may be happening to the guns and ammo sector in the U.S.

The Newtown, CT school massacre moved gun safety legislation front and center on the national and state levels. Proposed new gun-control measures, including universal background checks, an assault weapons ban and limits on high-capacity magazines are moving towards key votes in Congress.

Meanwhile, several states already have acted to tighten their gun control laws. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo pushed through a measure in January requiring registration of an estimated one million guns already in circulation. Other provisions in the NY package require five-year renewals of handgun licenses statewide; direct mental health professionals to notify authorities of patients deemed likely to seriously hurt themselves or others; and require federal background checks for private gun sales in New York.

New York’s new law–the first new gun restrictions in the nation following the Dec. 14 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown–also lowers the capacity limit of weapons magazines from 10 rounds to seven. In Colorado, Gov. John Hickenlooper bucked a strong tradition of gun ownership in the state and succeeded in enacting a landmark new law expanding background checks on gun purchases and limiting the size of ammunition clips. Several other states are moving forward with new gun restrictions, including New Jersey, Illinois and Connecticut.

Predictably, the National Rifle Association and its allies are mounting legal challenges to the new restrictions. This week, the NRA joined the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, other sportsmen’s groups, firearms businesses and individual gun owners in a lawsuit that aims to overturn New York’s law, citing the second and 14th amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

As the national debate heats up over new gun-control legislation, some weapons manufacturers are threatening to leave inhospitable states for less-regulated locations.

Colt Manufacturing President and CEO Dennis Veilleux told Fox News that Connecticut legislators’ proposals to enact ammunition restrictions, expand an assault weapons ban, curtail bulk purchases of handguns and create a new gun offender registry risk putting Colt and its 700 employees “in the crosshairs.”

Colt has called Connecticut home for over 175 years. Veilleux made it clear the gun maker is closely watching state legislative activity, especially Gov. Dan Malloy’s promise to ban both the purchase and sale of AR-15 rifles–one of Colt’s key products. Last week, Colt sent 400 of its employees to Connecticut’s state Capitol to personally lobby against new gun-control legislation. Meanwhile, a Malloy spokesman has stated that the governor does not want gun manufacturers to flee the state. In Colt’s case, it would mean a loss of $1.7 billion for the state’s economy

In Colorado, following the passage of Gov. Hickenlooper’s bill banning the sale of magazines capable of holding more than 15 rounds, munitions magazine manufacturer Magpul announced it will shut down its operations in the state .

As in any relocation paradigm, one community’s loss is another’s gain. In Montana, they ‘re moving quickly to put out the welcome mat for gun and ammunition manufacturers from across the country. In fact, local economic development agencies are openly targeting weapons producers.

The details of this effort were reported this week by Jeremy Vannatta, Director of Outreach, Recruitment and Marketing for the Big Sky Economic Development Authority (EDA), during a joint meeting of the Executive Committees for the EDA and its sister organization, the Big Sky Economic Development Corporation (EDC).

Vannatta said that a committee has been formed and they have compiled a list of some 300 prospective companies. Sixteen of those companies already have connections to the state and are considered prime candidates.

“We do have an industry here already,” Vannatta told the Big Sky Business Journal. There are ten gun manufacturers in the state, he said, as well as companies which manufacture components for guns manufactured by other companies.

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Competition for market share of inbound shipping remains fierce among U.S. ports, especially as the east coast gears up for an expanded Panama Canal and trade flows continue to shift among developed and emerging countries, according to Jones Lang LaSalle’s fourth annual seaport report. As reported in the firm’s earlier studies, commercial real estate surrounding major U.S. seaports continues to outperform the broader industrial market.

The report, which analyzes the health of major domestic container seaports and their surrounding real estate, also reveals that exports are creating inland development opportunities and are driving new connections between domestic maritime ports, inland destinations and their surrounding distribution real estate markets.

According to the Jones Lang LaSalle report, investment is pouring into ports: At least $13 billion of public investment is earmarked for port development in the next decade. Limited options are available for large space users: only 20 blocks of space are available for users requiring 250,000 square feet within five miles of a major U.S. port.

“Developers, investment interests and supply chain executives remain optimistic about our nation’s seaports,” said John Carver, head of JLL’s Ports, Airports and Global Infrastructure (PAGI) group, “Influenced by an evolving maritime logistics industry, global and trade transformations such as the extension of the Panama Canal and growth of U.S. exports, they see a bright long-term future. Capital is being poured into seaport infrastructure from both the public and private sectors.”

CHICAGO EXEC ANCHORS WHEELING

The Village of Wheeling’s manufacturing base is anchored around its general aviation airport, Chicago Executive Airport, the third busiest in Chicagoland. The Village recently approved the third new corporate hangar project in as many years and is reviewing opportunities to create expanded land availability in response to increased demand.

Few communities can boast of a similar connection to the national and international world of business and commerce. Chicago Executive Airport serves as a hub for business and industry and as a logical magnet drawing businesses to the area.

Chicago Executive Airport has seen significant improvements recently, and many of those improvements are ongoing. For instance, in 2012 the airport completed a 780-foot extension of Taxiway Echo and Atlantic Aviation built a new hangar to service the needs of a new client, a client who recognizes the potential of Chicago Executive Airport.

That new hangar includes 26,000-square feet of hangar area and 7,800-square feet of office space. An attractive building, it is consistent with the style of Atlantic’s other facilities.

Atlantic Aviation

Atlantic Aviation also renewed its commitment to the airport with a $750,000 remodel of its terminal at CEA. Both stylish and functional, the remodel has improved traffic flow, includes a second cafeteria, larger restrooms and a more spacious pilot’s lounge. While aesthetically embracing the new century, the remodel also incorporates the latest in technology, including large-screen television monitors and wireless Internet access for personal and professional use. The monitors are connected to Apple TV providing games, movies, television programs and business presentation capabilities.

Another new hangar is on the planning board, and a third FBO will be coming to Chicago Executive. The new hangar and the new FBO bring additional partners to the airport. Hangar 18 is an 18,000-square-foot hangar that Signature Flight Support is building for “Tin Goose Garage,” a flight support company previously based at DuPage Airport.

The new facility will include 15,000-square feet of hangar space and 3,000-square feet of office complex on the north side of Tower Road. The plans call for a state-of-the-art building that will help to keep Chicago Executive Airport at the forefront of aviation for years to come. The company plans to construct an $8-million facility in the southeast area of the airport. It will include 30,000-square feet of hangar and a 10,000-square-foot terminal.

More development is on the way. In July 2012, Wheeling retained a land planning consultant to evaluate alternate development scenarios over the eastern portion of the airport district to outline aviation and commercial development options. Once complete, the new comprehensive plan will serve as a concise guide for the future growth of the airport district and the Village is actively recruiting aviation developers to assist in implementing new redevelopment projects.

PORT OF STOCKTON NETS $1.6 BILLION IN INVESTMENTS

The Port of Stockton is one of the most vibrant seaports in California, which has attracted more than $1.6 billion in private sector investments and creating more than 2,100 family-wage jobs for our community in just the last five years alone, while the local area is contending with nearly 20 percent unemployment. Additionally, another $1.7 billion in projects are currently under negotiation, which will bring an estimated 1,100 new jobs to Stockton.

Port of Stockton

Following the economic downturn of 2008, the number of ships calling the port has increased 45 percent. Tonnages crossing Stockton’s docks have increased by 63 percent. A decade of infrastructure investment exceeding $130 million has combined to bring these new economic opportunities to the greater Central Valley region.

The Port of Stockton recently became one of the rare West Coast ports that is a net exporter of American products, shipping iron ore from Utah, rice from Northern California, City of Stockton-processed sulfur, and coal from Colorado, putting more people to work on the docks and in the warehouses. It recently doubled the tonnages of chemical fertilizers imported to support the agricultural industry of the entire San Joaquin Valley and now imports more than 95 percent of the chemical fertilizers used in the valley.

The port generates more than $5 million in tax revenue every year with existing projects, which will nearly double in the short term as projects under construction and in negotiations are built. These funds are used to help pay for local government services for our community. The Port of Stockton does not tax its citizens to pay for port activities.

A new containers-on-barge service, called the M-580 Marine Highway, for shipping ocean containers between the ports of Stockton and Oakland is scheduled to start operations this year. This service can remove about 700 trucks from the highways with each barge movement, making a major contribution to improving the air quality, safety and road capacity for our region.

M-580 Project Scope

• Import containers arrive at the Port of Oakland and are trucked along the I-580/I-5 corridor to distribute centers in the Central Valley.
• “Import” containers return to the Port of Oakland empty, causing inefficient logistics. Marine Highway project will assist in “interchange” of empty imports to loaded exports at inland DCs.
• Current transportation inefficiencies create major issues with congestion, pollution and public safety.
• 1600 containers move via truck everyday between the Port of Oakland and the Central Valley.

The service contemplates three round trips per week, handling import and export traffic. The goal is to have nothing but revenue-bearing loads as opposed to empty containers for re-positioning. The approximate cost is estimated to be the same per container, which includes diesel fuel charges. One advantage by using the barge is that containers can be loaded heavier than the 80,000- pound weight limit for trucks traveling between Stockton and Oakland via the highway system. This could translate into a 20 percent savings in ocean freight to the cargo owners.

Please contact the Port of Stockton for more details: (209) 946-0246, or visit the Web site.

HENDRICKS COUNTY, IN: CENTRAL LOCATION, GLOBAL RESOURCES

Given that it’s a substantial distance from any coasts or borders, Hendricks County, Indiana might seem to be a surprising place for a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ). However, its central location, transportation network, and labor resources have proven to be a tremendous benefit to companies that do business globally. At the same time, the county’s comfortably attractive way of life strengthens manager and employee satisfaction.

Hendricks County is adjacent to the Indianapolis International Airport’s extensive international air cargo resources, including a FedEx hub and dedicated Cargolux service to Europe. The UPS Louisville hub is just two hours south by Interstate highway. The county is home to Avon Yard, the center of CSX Railroad’s extensive Indiana network, with scheduled intermodal service connecting local companies to West Coast ports.

Combining that access to international transportation with the financial benefits of the FTZ has led many companies to give Hendricks County pivotal roles in their global operations. For example, wireless device supplier BrightPoint uses its Hendricks County FTZ facilities to package and program devices and accessories sourced from multiple countries, and then to distribute the ready-for-retail kits worldwide.

Domestic distribution is just as convenient. With fast connections to Interstates 65, 74, 70, 465 and 69, Hendricks County is less than a day’s drive from New York, Chicago, St. Louis, Dallas, Cincinnati, and Atlanta, providing overnight trucking access to more than half of the nation’s population. County officials have improved those connections with the development of the locally funded Ronald Reagan Parkway, which will ultimately link I-70, I-74, and I-65. The ability to move goods in and out of the county quickly has made it one of the nation’s most popular sites for logistics operations.

With a population of just under 150,000, Hendricks County is at the center of a large labor shed that incorporates the Indianapolis area and several smaller cities. Employers are able to tap into an abundance of highly skilled labor, including workers with expertise in technically demanding fields such as bioscience, medical devices, and motorsports. Hendricks County is home to VULTC, Vincennes University Logistics Training Center offering a certification in logistics and materials handling. Numerous colleges and universities are located within a two-hour radius, including the research facilities of Purdue University, Indiana University, and IUPUI.

That powerful combination of assets explains why the county has remained strong as the rest of the nation has struggled to recover from the recent recession. Over the past half-decade, companies have invested more than half a billion dollars into the local economy, leading to more than 7,800 new jobs, and squarely placing Hendricks County on Money Magazine’s list of the top 20 counties nationwide for job growth. In 2012 alone, companies poured $118 million into the county and created 1,710 jobs.

The county’s public- and private-sector leaders have taken an aggressive, two-pronged approach that focuses on both attracting new businesses and encouraging growth among existing employers. That strategy is powered by highly effective collaboration between business, government, education, and other sectors, allowing faster decision-making and innovative, practical solutions for business needs.

A prime example is the Hendricks College Network, a non-profit linking employers with Indiana’s wealth of educational and workforce development resources. The group leverages its connections with Indiana’s colleges and universities to develop specialized, highly sophisticated training programs for companies, and its success has been instrumental in attracting new local campuses of several universities.

To ensure that growth won’t compromise the way local residents live and play, private-sector leaders have joined forces with government officials and area non-profit organizations to create Hendricks County In Focus. This cooperative undertaking is developing ways to monitor the factors impacting local lifestyles, giving local leaders valuable guidance for decision-making—and making sure that Hendricks County continues to be a successful center for global companies.

TUPELO/LEE FTZ: 15M SQ. FT.

Foreign-trade zones help U.S. companies overcome competitive disadvantages stemming from U.S. trade laws and procedures. Within a Foreign-trade zone, companies are permitted to perform a number of procedures before the merchandise is charged duty. These procedures include sampling or inspecting merchandise (and destroying faulty merchandise without ever paying duty on it), storing and warehousing, re-labeling, repairing, displaying, assembling, These steps allow companies to benefit from interest on capital by delaying duty payment and permitting goods in the zone to be used as capital against loans. FTZs also drastically reduce the number and aggregate costs of entry fees.

As a member of the Greater Mississippi Foreign Trade Zone, Tupelo/Lee County couples these FTZ benefits with a long-standing history of community support for manufacturers.

With eight FTZ sites including over 5,881 acres of land, 2,780 developable acres, 15 million square feet of manufacturing space, 6.1 million square feet of warehouse/distribution space, and over a hundred companies already receiving the benefits of FTZ operation, Tupelo/Lee County provides not only the most beneficial import/export status, but also the leadership and cooperative spirit that have made us one of the foremost manufacturing locations for over a half century. If you have any questions please contact Shane Homan at (800) 523-3463 or shoman@cdfms.org.

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The study is the first of its kind to focus solely on Illinois’ potential when it comes to increased hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling—techniques that have been used in other states to create a nationwide boom in natural gas and oil production, as well as increasing economic development and much-needed jobs. It includes the following findings:

• Three different scenarios: The New Albany shale formation is well known in the oil and gas production world, but it’s unknown if these drilling techniques will be effective in extracting natural gas (or oil) economically—allowing for the ramp up of significant investment and production that has been seen in other areas of the country. Therefore, Loomis created three scenarios (low, medium, high) to determine the range of economic benefits that could come to Illinois.
• Jobs and economic impact: The total employment impacts (direct, indirect and induced impacts) for the three different scenarios are:
  • 1,034 new jobs for the low scenario
  • 10,337 new jobs for the medium scenario
  • 47,312 new jobs for the high scenario
  • This highest scenario translates into over $9.5 billion of economic impact for the state.
  • The high scenario is similar to the historical employment impacts of shale gas measured in Arkansas (9,683), Pennsylvania (44,098), Texas (Eagle Ford only—47,097), and Louisiana (57,637).
• The economic impact could be even greater: The study’s estimates are conservative in part because they do not include the economic impact of land leases that would be given to local landowners, nor does it look at what could happen if exploration discovers extractable oil deposits, such as what was found in western North Dakota.

The study made comparisons to investments in other shale formations and based reasonable modeling assumptions from their experiences, including: gas production levels, number of wells drilled per year, costs per well and amount of local content (Illinois resources vs. those brought in from other states).

“As we look at possible economic engines that could propel Illinois’ economy for decades to come, we need to look no further than the potential for increased natural gas production,” said Doug Whitley, president and CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce.

“Accessing natural gas in Illinois could produce many direct and indirect benefits and thousands of jobs,” said  Loomis, who also does annual studies showcasing the impact of Illinois’ wind industry. “Illinois is in a great position to participate in this dynamic energy renaissance.”

The Illinois Legislature is currently negotiating with oil and gas interests, business organizations and environmental groups to create regulatory guidelines for future hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling in Illinois. The latest industry draft gives Illinois the chance to pass one of the most comprehensive set of protections in the country while providing the industry the certainty it needs to invest in the state.

The number of jobs at stake is not lost on people from the areas where the shale exists.

The Heartland Institute concludes that New Albany shale is still unproven but has the potential to be a significant creator of  jobs for the State of  Illinois.  Even with the modest ramp-up of  jobs assumed in this study, a minimum of  1,000 jobs would be created or supported each year with the potential of  47,000 jobs annually if  the highest scenario is realized.  This highest scenario translates into over $9.5 billion of  economic impact for the state.

“Given the thousands of jobs at stake, we hope the Legislature will double their efforts to provide a workable regulatory road map so Illinois has the chance to join the energy production economic boom in the United States,” said Tom Wolf, executive director of the Illinois Chamber’s Energy Council. “Illinois is in no position to turn away responsible job growth opportunities.”

“The results of this study showcase the exciting opportunities for local communities,” said Norma Lansing, president of the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce. “The quantity and quality of jobs that are possible would be a huge boon for the economy in this area of the state.”

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“Land O’Frost has tremendous future growth potential and today is just the beginning of what we hope will be a productive relationship,” said Gov. Mitch Daniels.

Land O’Frost currently employs 40 professionals at its headquarters and more than 1,100 manufacturing employees at its four production plants located in Illinois, Kentucky, Arkansas and Nebraska. The company will begin to transition its headquarters staff to the new Indiana facility after construction is completed.

“Our success over the past 10 years, coupled with our future plans, led us to the conclusion we needed to explore options for a new headquarters facility,” said David VanEekeren, president and chief executive officer of Land O’Frost. “Our new state-of-the art headquarters in Munster will not only provide us with the room to support our continued growth, but it will also allow us to create an environment that fosters stronger employee collaboration. The new headquarters will support our research and development initiatives and helps us continue to attract and retain top talent.”

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Land O’Frost, Inc. up to $750,000 in conditional tax credits based on the company’s job creation plans. The Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority will support the project through its Deal Closing Fund. Also, the town of Munster offered funds using revenues generated from the issuance of a tax increment financing (TIF) bond.

“Land O’Frost is exactly the type of company that Munster is reaching out to locate in Munster,” said Dave Nellans, president of the Munster Town Council. “They are a well established growing company that will bring professional employees in to the community. Their corporate headquarters will be an important part of our business community. They have a reputation of being outstanding corporate citizens.”

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The former home of the Sportsman’s Park racetrack was transformed by technological features incorporated throughout the facility. In the Fall 2012 issue of Dominique A. Buttitta of NAIOP Corporation’s Development Magazine writes, “Redevelopment of the former Sportsman’s Park racetrack site proved to be as complex as the track’s history. Originally built as Al Capone’s dog track, the site served as a horse racing track until 1999, when it was converted into a combined horse and auto racing facility. One year after its doors closed permanently in 2002, the Town of Cicero purchased the property. The track remained unused for the next six years until it was demolished in 2009. A haphazard demolition left behind various buried debris, capped with natural soils through- out the site.”

Digital signage screens can be found embedded in hallway floors  and lobby areas. The 500,000 square foot warehouse contains one of the largest temperature-controlled wine storage components in the country. A leading factor that drove the entire design of the site, the building’s shell, and its utility systems is the high-tech  Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) with high bay robotic picking.

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