The county seat of York County, York is the 14th largest city in Pennsylvania and is within 25 miles of Gettysburg, 45 miles of Baltimore and 100 miles of Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia. With small town charm and big city appeal, the south-central City is known as the White Rose City after the symbol of the House of York and is home to more than 40,000 residents in a 5.2 square mile radius. Consistently ranked #1 in quality of life categories amongst regional cities, York is affordable with a cost of living index of 94.5 (U.S. average is 100), low amounts of air pollution and much to offer everyone as evidenced by its support of two daily newspapers.

Outside and In

The petite area packs a heavy punch. York boasts two downtown farmers’ markets, 24 parks, an elegant hotel designated as a National Trust Historic Hotel of America, six museums and a Visitors’ Center, a Symphony Orchestra, downtown access to a 42-mile nature and jogging trail, 34 outdoor murals and mini-murals and the recently renovated Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center, which brings many nationally acclaimed acts and independent and foreign films to the City.

Outdoors and recreation are an important part of York. The city has 10,000 trees and has been honored by the National Arbor Day Foundation for 18 consecutive years as “Tree City, U.S.A.” It also encompasses 20 baseball and softball diamonds, an ice rink and 21 golf courses within a 30-minute drive—second only to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in terms of golf courses per capita.

York is home to the annual National Street Rod Association Street Rod Nationals East—the largest street rod event in the Eastern U.S.—as well as America’s first fair, originally held in 1765, which still runs every year. For 10 days, the York Fair hosts rides, games, contests and many popular artist performances for hundreds of thousand of people.

York also houses the venue with the tallest wall in baseball. At 37 feet, 8 inches, the left field wall of Sovereign Bank Stadium surpasses the height of the Green Monster at Boston’s Fenway Park. The City has one professional sports team, the York Revolution (plays in the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball) and is home to the “Plywood Hoods”, a group of BMX freestylers and the York County Silver Bullets semiprofessional football team (Colonial Football Alliance).

York plans to connect streetscaping enhancements; erect antique-styled lights that emit bright, white light; and add colorful, historical-themed murals throughout the downtown, thereby improving the aesthetics, charm and walkability of the City. In conjunction with these improvements, they are also working on cultivating niche districts in downtown York—an Arts District, Antiques District and Heritage Tourism District—to expand on recreational, commercial and educational opportunities for residents, to bolster neighborhood and civic pride and to stimulate more economic activity.

A Good BET (Business, Education and Transportation)

York Barbell, a reseller of weight training and bodybuilding equipment and location of the USA Weightlifting Hall of Fame inhabits the City, as does a Harley-Davidson motorcycle factory, which employs roughly half of the company’s production workforce. Voith Siemens Hydro and American Hydro, two major manufacturers of modern hydropower water turbines and the animal cracker producer Stauffer Biscuit Company also reside in the City. Headquarters situated in York include York International, a Johnson Controls Company and The Bon-Ton, a regional department store.

With more than 69 percent of the population of those 25 years and older having completed high school or higher and 10.6 percent having received a Bachelor’s or higher, The York College of Pennsylvania, Penn State York, YTI Career Institute (YTI), York Business Institute (YBI), York Culinary Institute (YCI), York Time Institute, HACC’s (Harrisburg Area Community College) York Campus, and The Art Institute of York-Pennsylvania are all convenient options for those seeking further education in the city.

I-83 offers easy access to MDT, Route 30 (America’s first highway), I-95, and I-76 (Pennsylvania Turnpike). Just north of the Mason-Dixon Line, York is served with multiple bus routes by Rabbit Transit public transportation, Greyhound, and Capitol Trailways. There is also frequent Amtrak train service to Philadelphia via Lancaster, located 24 miles East. The York Airport (THV) is seven miles southwest in Thomasville and many residents use either Baltimore-Washington International (BWI) or Harrisburg International Airport (MDT) for long distance travel.

The City of York offers several local business incentives to spur economic development, including:

• ReTAP/LERTA – The Residential Tax Abatement Program (ReTap) and the Local Economic Revitalization Tax Abatement (LERTA) encourage improvements, rehabilitation and new construction throughout York.

• Artist Homestead Program – Offers two tiers of financial and amenity incentives to visual, industrial, performing, and written artists who purchase homes in York.

• Fresh Foods Fund (FFF) – Based on a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and seed money provided by the City of York Redevelopment Authority, the FFF is a revolving loan fund to help entrepreneurs and business owners start and expand successful restaurants and other food service establishments in an effort to bring jobs and economic prosperity to the City.

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The business and financial capital of the state with an estimated population of 109,395 people, Manchester is the largest city in New Hampshire and in northern New England. It is ideally located within an hour’s drive of Boston and the Atlantic coastline, less than two hours from New Hampshire’s scenic White Mountains. Recognized as one of the top economic cities of its size, Manchester offers a low unemployment rate and major employers in a state with no income tax or sales tax and the lowest overall tax burden in the U.S. with the highest standard of living. The city’s historic rehabilitated Millyard is home to more than 4 million square feet of office, R&D and manufacturing space. Firms that take up residence here include Texas Instruments, Autodesk, Riverstone and DEKA Research.

Manchester supplies indoor and outdoor recreational opportunities from day to night in parks, trail systems, museums and entertainment venues as well as hundreds of restaurants, cafes, diners and 5 million square feet of tax-free shopping centers. Its Verizon Wireless Arena, the state’s largest sports and entertainment facility, seats somewhere between 10,000 to 11.770 people (depending on the event) and is home to the Manchester Monarchs, the AHL affiliate of the LA Kings. Northeast Delta Dental Stadium holds around 7500 people and is used primarily for baseball, specifically the New Hampshire Fishercats, an AA Affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. The City’s Cultural landmarks include the Palace Theatre, the Currier Museum of Art, the New Hampshire Institute of Art, and the Franco-American Center.

New and Expanding

2010 was a busy year for Manchester with many businesses relocating and expanding to the city’s advantage. Benefit Strategies LLC is a business that has profited from the recession as employees turn to it as a third party administrator for Flexible Spending Accounts, COBRA, and other employee benefits. Having recently rehabbed a Manchester building, the company will build an additional four-story connection for business expansion, potential office use, a retail tenant, and/or a residence. Having added around 15 jobs in the last year, Paul G. Smith, CEO of Benefit Strategies said, “The purpose of this building is to give us capacity to grow and continue to grow.”

To accommodate a jump in employees from approximately 70 to 130 in the past year, JP Sercel Associates Inc. (JPSA) has completed a 24,000-square foot expansion. This doubles the company’s area used to manufacture LED, solar, and excimer laser micromachining systems and allows them to keep on top of the growing demand.

EPE Corporation, New Hampshire’s 14th fastest growing business opened a new location near the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport. The electronics company had outgrown its previous Manchester location of 26 years and will now reside in a 45,000-square foot facility with the anticipation of creating more jobs in the near future. Since 2007, EPE has experienced 150 percent job growth and 168 percent revenue increase.

Elliot Hospital at River’s Edge is Manchester’s largest development project in more than 30 years. Once completed, the site will include a 258,000-square foot urgent care center for Elliot Hospital (expandable to 376,500 sq. ft.), a 126,000-square foot medical office building, a 24-unit apartment building, an 11,300-square foot retail commercial building, two parking garages and a Riverfront park. The project is estimated to create at least 200 to 250 new permanent jobs and help retain more than 800 jobs. “[The] mixed-use sustainable project…will stand as one of the best examples of a public/private development initiative ever seen in New Hampshire,” says Jay Minkarah, Director, Manchester Economic Development.

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The county seat of South Carolina, Charleston is the state’s oldest and second largest city with an estimated population of more than 124,000. It is a major tourist destination, with numerous hotels, restaurants and shopping. The city was named a top 25 arts destination by AmericanStyle magazine and boasts many historic buildings, museums and attractions including the Exchange and Provost, the Gibbes Museum of Art, and the Nathaniel Russell House. In addition, Charleston offers various sports teams such as the Charleston Battery, a professional soccer team and the Charleston River Dogs, a minor league baseball team.

The city’s institutions of higher education include The College of Charleston, The Citadel, The Charleston School of Law and The Medical University of SC, as well as The Art Institute of Charleston and the only college in the country that offers bachelors degrees in the building arts, The American College of the Building Arts.

Charleston’s transportation system is served by many modes, making travel and shipping convenient. It is home to the Charleston International Airport, which shares runways with the Charleston Air Force Base, and highways such as U.S. Routes 17, 52 and 78 along with I-26, I-526 and SC 7, 30, and 61. The city also has two bus systems, operated by the Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) and the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Rural Transportation Management Association (BCD-RTMA, commonly called the TriCounty Link). And the Port of Charleston, behind tourism, is one of the leading sources of the city’s revenue.

The Green Plan

Charleston is taking great measures to ensure a greener future. In 2005, Mayor Joseph R. Riley, Jr. signed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement with the intent to reduce CO2 emissions seven percent below the 1990 levels by 2012. In 2006 alone, levels were lowered by 19,000 tons through energy efficient lighting, enhanced efficiency heating and air conditioning systems and low flow water devices in City buildings. In addition, Charleston is in the process of streamlining its city fleet vehicles—by increasing the hybrid fleet and converting to biodiesel-compatible vehicles—and switching to energy efficient LED traffic and exit signs.

Charleston was one of five cities in the U.S. selected for the Green Business Challenge (GBC), a voluntary 12-month program to improve the environmental performance of commercial and institutional buildings and their operations. Key elements include reducing a businesses’ use of energy, waste and water. Participation allows a head start on savings and environmental benefits since the GBC rewards not only reducing waste and consumption, but also incentivizes community involvement and stewardship.

Boeing’s Boom

Groundbreaking took place in November 2009 on Boeing’s new 787 Dreamliner Final Assembly plant at its Charleston International Airport property. Expected to be complete in summer 2011 with first product delivery in first-quarter 2012, the 1.1 million square foot structure will be one of only three facilities in the world producing twin-aisle commercial jetliners.

The state offered Boeing $170 million in upfront grants plus multiple tax breaks. Legislation assumes the aerospace giant will invest $750 million and create at least 3,800 new jobs in SC within seven years.

An economic analysis by the Alliance for South Carolina’s Future said that Boeing will add $6.1 billion to the state’s annual economy. The plant is expected to draw related businesses to the area, spending more money and hiring more people. And, local economist Dick Conway estimates that each Boeing job generates spending that supports 1.7 other local jobs—one of the highest “multipliers” of any private-sector employer.

Launch of the new 787 is being closely watched within the aviation world. Unlike most large commercial airplanes, which are made from aluminum, about half of the Dreamliner’s structural components are a mix of epoxies and strong lightweight composite materials, such as graphite that will cut fuel consumption.

Boeing Charleston vice president Tim Coyle said the company considered the area’s business environment, logistics and infrastructure.

Also, in a move that seems to anticipate growth, Boeing asked for, and was given, an option to take over another office complex in the area.

Boeing already makes rear fuselages for the Dreamliner in North Charleston—a factory acquired in 2009—and owns half of Global Aeronautica, a nearby 787 supplier that works on mid-fuselage sections.

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Nestled in the northeastern corner of Oklahoma with over 389,000 residents, Tulsa lies 700 feet above sea level and offers a temperate climate and rich cultural legacy along with a cost of living 8.6 percent below the national average. The city has the fifth lowest cost for doing business in the nation and a widely diversified business base, which includes nationally prominent companies in aerospace, telecommunications, manufacturing and distribution and employment balanced among several job sectors such as construction and healthcare.

Ten higher education facilities serve the metropolitan area with options ranging from vocational studies to professional degree programs at public and private universities. Tulsa’s transportation network includes the Port of Catoosa, an inland multi-modal shipping complex, the Tulsa International Airport (TUL) for commercial travel and the R.L. Jones, Jr. Airport (RVS) for general aviation services.

Hard Work Rewarded

For an unprecedented third time in five years, the Tulsa Metro Chamber has received the Chamber of the Year Award from the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE). Chamber of the Year is awarded for work in Leading Businesses. Leading Communities.™ and recognizes excellence in operations, member services, financial performance and community leadership.

The Tulsa Metro Chamber was also acknowledged by Business Retention and Expansion International (BREI) for its new BRE program. In August, the chamber accepted the Multi-Community/Regional award at the BREI/Southern Economic Development Council (SEDC) Joint Conference, an award given annually to recognize innovative, effective and exemplary BRE programs for a population of more than 100,000. Tulsa’s peer-to-peer outreach BRE program was launched in September 2009 to offer support in barriers to growth, expansion, regulatory processes, mergers and workforce issues; it has resulted in at least 10 expansion projects, 350 new jobs and more than $66 million.

In addition to BRE recognition, the city received another first from the SEDC; the association announced Tulsa as the location for its 2013 conference. Presented annually to provide information and enhance leadership best practices for economic professionals in the American South, the conference will bring more than 300 people with an estimated economic impact of $377,990 for the Tulsa region. Dan Motley, secretary/treasurer of SEDC and chair of the 2013 site selection committee said, “what made the difference in Tulsa was the enthusiasm, the coordination and the motivation of the local planning committee.”

2010 also saw the launch of The Forge, a business center created by Tulsa’s Young Professionals (TYPros) to accelerate the development, success and sustainability of start-ups and existing small businesses in the region. It includes a physical space for the businesses (similar to an incubator), a meeting place for entrepreneurs and a resource of knowledge for creating the next generation of business leaders.

And although Oklahoma’s 21st Century Quality Jobs program became effective November 1, 2009, Lansing Trade Group is the first company to qualify (average wage of the jobs created must be at least $94,418) for the incentive that rewards businesses with a highly skilled workforce. Lansing is eligible to receive a cash rebate of up to 10 percent of the new taxable payroll it adds to the state. Tulsa Metro Chamber’s economic development division collaborated with the Oklahoma Department of Commerce to bring the project to Tulsa.

This year has been a busy one for the city. 18 months in the making, Octavian Security USA has established a U.S. headquarters in Tulsa, attracted by its competitive business rates and pro-business atmosphere for new companies. “Tulsa is a great city with real growth potential for us in the next five to 10 years,” said Sukhi Ghuman, one of Octavian’s entrepreneurs. “This is why we decided to begin our U.S. operations here. The warmth of the Oklahoma people made it an easy choice.”

Expo Square, One of the World’s Top Convention Centers

Located in midtown Tulsa, Expo Square holds more than 400 events each year, including exhibits and banquets. With parking for 11,000 (outdoor space also available) as well as on-site catering and a restaurant, the possibilities are endless. Farm shows, home shows, and auto events along with activities that include horseracing and a water park are just the tip of the iceberg.

• The QuikTrip Center, one of the largest clearspan buildings in the world, provides 354,000 square feet of column-free space under a cable-suspended roof and the building spans 448,400 total square feet on two levels, connected by side ramps and stairs.

• Exchange Center houses 58,500 square feet of exhibit space, including three meeting rooms, a loading dock and drive-through doors.

• The Built Ford Tough Livestock Complex is home to 700,000 square feet of versatile barns and arenas.

• Expo Square Pavilion is a flexible arena that can go from an ice floor to a basketball court with various rooms, a ticket office, ETC-controlled lighting system, padded chairs and skyboxes.

• Central Park Hall offers 43,000 square feet of exhibit space with meeting areas, a mezzanine, drive through doors and a portable loading dock.

• The RV Park is open attendees or exhibitors at Expo Square events.

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On the Southern High Plains of Texas, Lubbock is the epicenter of a 29-county region with more than 600,000 people. The ‘Hub City’ boasts an economy grounded in agriculture, manufacturing, health care, education, government, and wholesale and retail trade services. Its attributes include a low cost of living, diverse workforce, accessible transportation, and sustainable industries.

Lubbock’s cost of doing business continues to rank as one of the lowest in the U.S and it has some of the lowest costs in Texas for electric and natural gas utilities, wage rates, affordable land and property taxes.

The Lubbock Economic Development Alliance (LEDA) uses knowledge of regional resources, industry clusters and the local business environment to assist expansion and/or relocation projects. They provide opportunities for companies to obtain job creation and Enterprise Zone incentives along with funding for workforce training through state and local programs.

As the medical center for the entire West Texas and Eastern New Mexico region, Lubbock offers comprehensive health care services. In addition, with three universities and a community college, there is a continual flow of capable individuals going into the workforce.

Not only a city for business, Lubbock offers access to a variety of activities. Residents and visitors can frequent the American Wind Power or Buddy Holly Centers; listen to live music at the Symphony Orchestra; explore 75 recreational park facilities to picnic, hike, camp or boat; watch a sporting event; or visit one of the award-winning wineries.

From arts, entertainment, sports and recreation to healthcare, business, transportation and education, Lubbock is the place to do it all.

DEVELOPMENT IN FULL SWING

LEDA owns over 1,000 acres of land within the Lubbock Business Park and Lubbock Rail Port, which can be offered as an incentive to help relocate qualifying businesses. The alliance has already invested more than $22 million dollars in the Park and continuously works to attract new activity. Recruitment is focused on (but not limited to): Wind Energy/Clean Energy, Advanced Manufacturing, Transportation and Logistics, Food Technology, Biotechnology, Wholesale Trade, Information Technology, R&D and Professional Services.

Located on more than 526 acres a few miles north of Lubbock Preston International Airport, the Lubbock Rail Port provides access to the airport and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad (BNSF). It acquired 200 additional acres and a $1.5 million U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration Grant recently to extend infrastructure into the Lubbock Business Park.

Lubbock Business Park is a 586-acre tract of land located off of I-27, about one-mile south of LBB. Currently O’Reilly Auto Parts Distribution Center and WesTX Packaging Company/Standard Bag Manufacturing reside in the Park. Monsanto and Standard Sales/Anheuser-Busch will soon begin operations. Construction of a 30,000 square foot Verizon data center is expected to begin in the near future. Completion of the Boulevard Extension and other planned roads will add another entrance into the Park and more infrastructure to future tenants, opening up approximately 10 lots for new construction.

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One of the county’s strongest business assets is its reliable and non-transitory workforce; Otero also has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the state. The Otero County Economic Development Council (OCEDC) focuses on many types of industrial and retail opportunities. Although the county’s focus targets align primarily with renewable energies and aerospace/defense industries, the OCEDC staff stands ready to assist with all relocation needs.

Otero has a population of more than 63,000 people and a total area of 6,627 square miles. It is made up of 16 communities (many small and unincorporated) and tourism is one of its top industries. With the White Sands National Monument, New Mexico Museum of Space History, International Space Hall of Fame, Lincoln National Forest and the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation, Otero County has New Mexico’s strongest, most versatile tourism product. The County’s fervent business attitude and infrastructure, balanced with a rich quality of life make it a place you can call home.

ALAMOGORDO: THE ECONOMIC CENTER

Alamogordo is the micropolitan center of the Tularosa Basin and the county seat of Otero County. The city offers a safe community and pristine scenery for a balanced life. With a motto of “the friendliest place on earth,” the thriving desert community is graced with a mild climate and abundant sunshine. It also houses a variety of services, activities and programs for its residents, including a regional medical center, zoo, and civic center.

Alamogordo’s strategic placement in the intersection of two major highways allows for easy and unobstructed access to major transportation routes including I-10 and I-25. It also is in close proximity to low-cost production areas in Mexico. Rail, motor freight, bus and air accessibility is available to meet any company’s needs. Home to Holloman Air Force Base, the area’s largest employer with the Air Force’s newest weapon systems—including the F-22A Raptor, the MQ-I and MQ-9 remotely piloted aircraft (unmanned systems) and the High Speed Test Track—it also has strong ties with neighbors at White Sands Missile Range.

Otero County’s extended growing season breeds a long tradition of farming, including the largest number of pistachio groves in New Mexico. Centrally located between several agricultural areas, Alamogordo is a perfect location for food processing facilities and other value added agriculture industries.

The basin is filled with a qualified and diverse workforce. A partnership with the local university offers opportunities for citizens and the business community alike. Seasoned and competitive construction contractors and service providers enhance the area and showcase Alamogordo’s proactive approach to developing business. With access to a low-cost industrial park, local and state incentives remain abundant to assist an existing company or those considering relocation. In addition to the city’s numerous properties, significant private lands are also available, with plenty of room to grow. A business friendly and family oriented community, Alamogordo is the preferred location of several companies, including 1-800-Flowers, PreCheck, Marietta Biscuits Company and Premier Pellets.

In recent years, many businesses across the country have relocated or established their operations “out-west”, and Alamogordo’s business-friendly attitude continues to create welcoming opportunities.

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Providence is the capital of Rhode Island and the most populated city in the state. Its residents are amply served by rail (Amtrak and MBTA), highway (I-95, I-195, I-295), airport (T.F. Green and Logan International) and bus transportation access. With seven colleges and universities, six hospitals and a medical school, Providence is also home to 40 percent more knowledge workers than the national average and has been named one of America’s most livable cities.

Replete with human capital and physical resources, public, private, labor and institutional leaders created a strategy to harness the emerging life sciences industry. They collaborated to transform the Jewelry District—a former world capital of jewelry manufacturing—into the “Knowledge District,” a world-class center of excellence. “That area…is repurposing itself, with emerging life sciences’ technology, design, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit,” said Providence Mayor, David N. Cicilline. “Medical facilities, residential lofts, office space and small cafes make this a unique and coveted place to locate.”

Under the leadership of the Mayor and the Greater Providence Chamber, and with the support of leading university stakeholders and others, a cohesive plan of action is taking shape. The mission is to make Providence a preeminent place in basic, clinical and translational life science research; drive technology transfer; and expand entrepreneurship, new companies and jobs.

The Knowledge District capitalizes on the city’s compact size and the close proximity of each partner’s campus. It builds upon existing research infrastructure and brings together essential elements (land, labor and capital) to grow a highly competitive 21st Century knowledge economy.

The Creative Class

Providence embraces art and culture with parks, museums, galleries, performing arts venues, live music and many organizations. Mayor Cicilline and the Department of Art, Culture and Tourism (DACT) launched Creative Providence: a Cultural Plan for the Creative Sector to explore the strengths and weaknesses of the capital city’s creative ecosystem. The community-wide cultural plan is designed to better position Providence to realize its full potential as a creative center and deliver on its promise of innovation and change.

Creative Providence will guide public policy, private initiative and investment over the next ten years. “Our cultural plan calls upon leadership from our creative sector—artists, arts organizations, poets and scholars, designers and creators, the entertainment and tourism industries—to ask hard questions and solve difficult problems alongside government and business leaders,” said Mayor Cicilline.

Goals of the plan include mobilizing the creative sector by positioning the DACT as a leader in creative economic development; building community and fostering neighborhood vitality through access and diversified cultural participation; educating and inspiring the next generation of creative thinkers; fostering sustainable cultural organizations; creating conditions for creative workers to thrive in Providence; and raising public awareness of the creative sector.

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Topeka is the capital city of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It has a population of 123,446 (Shawnee’s population is 174,709) and consistently ranks eight to ten percent below the national average for cost of living, making for a comfortable quality of life. The City shows active pride and investment in healthcare, education and community development, turning out a highly educated workforce.

The Topeka Public School District earned the U.S. Department of Education National Schools of Excellence Award and approximately 85 percent of Shawnee county residents age 25 and older are high school graduates or have completed an equivalency, with 36 percent of residents holding a bachelors or higher. Two nationally acclaimed research universities (University of Kansas and Kansas State University) are adjacent to the community and Topeka’s own Washburn University is top 10-rated in the Midwest. The City has a lively performing arts scene, recreation facilities for nature lovers, as well as activities and attractions for every taste.

Topeka, Not Business as Usual

With the cost of doing business and energy costs lower than the national average, Topeka is headquarters to national and international companies that include Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. and Security Benefit. The City encourages new direction and growth and offers solutions to help business with customer retention, development of a more efficient supply chain and finding new profit opportunities.
Topeka’s target industries include heavy manufacturing, distribution and warehousing, animal sciences and food processing. Emerging targets include robotics manufacturing and data centers. Topeka encourages a return on investment by offering state and local incentives for conducting business in the City:
• Free land and cash based on the quality of jobs created
• Machinery and equipment exemption from personal property taxes
• Funding for bioscience
• State and Local taxes that are 11 percent lower than the national average
• Office rentals 26 percent lower than national average
• NaviGate, to help maximize resources, assess entrepreneurs’ needs and standardize progress with partner organizations

The Central Park Connection

Topeka has a central location with prime highway and rail transportation networks (BNSF and Union Pacific). It is within one hour of Kansas City International airport and Topeka’s own Forbes Field airport offers admission to a Foreign Trade Zone and direct access to two runways (12,800′ and 7,000′). The City provides close proximity to intermodal facilities, telecommunications services and high speed Internet, ranking with New York City and San Francisco for fiber optic cable per square mile.

Topeka capitalized on its location with the 500-acre light industrial Central Crossing Commerce Park. Home to Target, Frito Lay, and Home Depot, shovel-ready sites are available with water, sewer, natural gas and electric in place. There is developed entryway and roads throughout, and local consultation from groundbreaking to grand opening. The mixed-use land parcels are ideal for manufacturing and distribution and offer quick interstate highway access—at the linkage of U.S. 75 and I-70, direct connection with major rail service, and adjacency to the 2,000-acre foreign trade zone.

With the addition of Kanza Fire Commerce Park, GO Topeka continues efforts to attract quality businesses that will provide primary jobs to Topeka and Shawnee County. The 1,018-acres is bisected by U.S. 75 and provides 6000′ of rail with access to I-335, I-70 and the airport. The Park has a sustainable design, energy efficiency, walking trails, 130 acres of green space and shared energy sources.

GO Topeka also began a partnership with the Topeka Public School district to develop Kanza Science and Innovation Park. The 80-acres will house research facilities in the alternative energy, bioscience, health science and animal health science sectors. Near two major hospitals, Kanza Park businesses will have access to resources and a workforce unlike anywhere else in the region.

Go Topeka Keeps Going and Going…

According to research and analysis done by Impact DataSource, projects resulting from GO Topeka’s 2009 efforts will have a net benefit of more than $15 million for Topeka and Shawnee County over the next 10 years. Including the Home Depot Rapid Deployment Center—300 jobs and a $25 million investment, purchase of the Payless ShoeSource distribution center by PTMW, Inc.—138 new jobs and a $4.25 million investment, and the U.S. Foodservice expansion—24 jobs with a $13 million investment, GO Topeka helped retain 1,575 jobs and create 463 new jobs. It is anticipated that another 3,770 direct and indirect jobs will follow as a corollary. The study also estimates that the jobs created will bring 762 new residents into Shawnee County. In turn, new properties will be built and more taxes will be collected from wages, properties and purchases.

After extraction of incentive and service costs, Topeka is expected to see nearly $10.8 million worth of net benefits, Shawnee County is likely to net around $4.4 million, and Washburn University will receive over $5 million. Impact DataSource also predicts about $104.5 million in benefits to the State of Kansas, all over the next decade.

“This is a great return on the investment for economic development,” said Steve Jenkins, senior VP of economic development for Greater Topeka Chamber/GO Topeka. “In addition to the benefits to other taxing entities and the wages being added to the community for the next decade, we continue to see a growth in the primary job sector that drives growth of small businesses and improvement of the community’s quality of life. This is what the community envisioned when the sales tax for economic development was passed by the voters.”

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Topeka is the capital city of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It has a population of 123,446 (Shawnee’s population is 174,709) and consistently ranks eight to ten percent below the national average for cost of living, making for a comfortable quality of life. The City shows active pride and investment in healthcare, education and community development, turning out a highly educated workforce.

The Topeka Public School District earned the U.S. Department of Education National Schools of Excellence Award and approximately 85 percent of Shawnee county residents age 25 and older are high school graduates or have completed an equivalency, with 36 percent of residents holding a bachelors or higher. Two nationally acclaimed research universities (University of Kansas and Kansas State University) are adjacent to the community and Topeka’s own Washburn University is top 10-rated in the Midwest. The City has a lively performing arts scene, recreation facilities for nature lovers, as well as activities and attractions for every taste.

Topeka, Not Business as Usual

With the cost of doing business and energy costs lower than the national average, Topeka is headquarters to national and international companies that include Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. and Security Benefit. The City encourages new direction and growth and offers solutions to help business with customer retention, development of a more efficient supply chain and finding new profit opportunities.
Topeka’s target industries include heavy manufacturing, distribution and warehousing, animal sciences and food processing. Emerging targets include robotics manufacturing and data centers. Topeka encourages a return on investment by offering state and local incentives for conducting business in the City:
• Free land and cash based on the quality of jobs created
• Machinery and equipment exemption from personal property taxes
• Funding for bioscience
• State and Local taxes that are 11 percent lower than the national average
• Office rentals 26 percent lower than national average
• NaviGate, to help maximize resources, assess entrepreneurs’ needs and standardize progress with partner organizations

The Central Park Connection

Topeka has a central location with prime highway and rail transportation networks (BNSF and Union Pacific). It is within one hour of Kansas City International airport and Topeka’s own Forbes Field airport offers admission to a Foreign Trade Zone and direct access to two runways (12,800′ and 7,000′). The City provides close proximity to intermodal facilities, telecommunications services and high speed Internet, ranking with New York City and San Francisco for fiber optic cable per square mile.

Topeka capitalized on its location with the 500-acre light industrial Central Crossing Commerce Park. Home to Target, Frito Lay, and Home Depot, shovel-ready sites are available with water, sewer, natural gas and electric in place. There is developed entryway and roads throughout, and local consultation from groundbreaking to grand opening. The mixed-use land parcels are ideal for manufacturing and distribution and offer quick interstate highway access—at the linkage of U.S. 75 and I-70, direct connection with major rail service, and adjacency to the 2,000-acre foreign trade zone.

With the addition of Kanza Fire Commerce Park, GO Topeka continues efforts to attract quality businesses that will provide primary jobs to Topeka and Shawnee County. The 1,018-acres is bisected by U.S. 75 and provides 6000′ of rail with access to I-335, I-70 and the airport. The Park has a sustainable design, energy efficiency, walking trails, 130 acres of green space and shared energy sources.

GO Topeka also began a partnership with the Topeka Public School district to develop Kanza Science and Innovation Park. The 80-acres will house research facilities in the alternative energy, bioscience, health science and animal health science sectors. Near two major hospitals, Kanza Park businesses will have access to resources and a workforce unlike anywhere else in the region.

Go Topeka Keeps Going and Going…

According to research and analysis done by Impact DataSource, projects resulting from GO Topeka’s 2009 efforts will have a net benefit of more than $15 million for Topeka and Shawnee County over the next 10 years. Including the Home Depot Rapid Deployment Center—300 jobs and a $25 million investment, purchase of the Payless ShoeSource distribution center by PTMW, Inc.—138 new jobs and a $4.25 million investment, and the U.S. Foodservice expansion—24 jobs with a $13 million investment, GO Topeka helped retain 1,575 jobs and create 463 new jobs. It is anticipated that another 3,770 direct and indirect jobs will follow as a corollary. The study also estimates that the jobs created will bring 762 new residents into Shawnee County. In turn, new properties will be built and more taxes will be collected from wages, properties and purchases.

After extraction of incentive and service costs, Topeka is expected to see nearly $10.8 million worth of net benefits, Shawnee County is likely to net around $4.4 million, and Washburn University will receive over $5 million. Impact DataSource also predicts about $104.5 million in benefits to the State of Kansas, all over the next decade.

“This is a great return on the investment for economic development,” said Steve Jenkins, senior VP of economic development for Greater Topeka Chamber/GO Topeka. “In addition to the benefits to other taxing entities and the wages being added to the community for the next decade, we continue to see a growth in the primary job sector that drives growth of small businesses and improvement of the community’s quality of life. This is what the community envisioned when the sales tax for economic development was passed by the voters.”

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Hesperia’s High Desert location along the I-15 corridor and U.S. Highway 395 provides an affordable and central location for manufacturing and distribution operations that serve southern California and surrounding states. Hesperia’s central location connects them to the major interstates and highways serving Los Angeles, San Diego, northern California areas and Nevada. Additionally, I-15 connects to I-40 that serves Arizona. These desert coordinates equate to lower development and operating costs, particularly in land, labor and fees. There are no utility or inventory taxes in Hesperia, nor are there Transportation Use Mitigation Fees (TUMF) or Habitat Species Fees, as found in other southern California communities.

Hesperia offers a motivated and industrious labor force—the largest workforce in the High Desert region—with wage rates significantly lower than other, more urbanized areas. There is little union activity in Hesperia, which contributes to a harmonious and productive business environment. Overall, a Hesperia location will lead to lower acquisition and construction costs, higher productivity and a greater return on investment.

The Hesperia Community Redevelopment Agency has acquired land for industrial use to complement its new industrial rail lead track scheduled to break ground by the 3rd quarter of this year. The nearly mile-long lead track, served by Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, will be accessible from more than 200 acres.

Nearly 300 acres of vacant commercially and industrially zoned land in Hesperia are being submitted to the State of California Site Certification Program in anticipation of the eventual economic turnaround. This certification assures that the 25-acre minimum sites are available for sale or lease and have had a CEQA review and EIR within the past five years; that transportation and utility infrastructure are in place; and that the sites are capable of being fully permitted (air and site development). In addition, the sites must be accessible—without easement issues, etc.—and located outside of the FEMA 100-year and 500-year floodplains.

LIVING THE LIFE

Encompassing nearly 75 square miles and with nearly 92,000 residents, Hesperia is the second largest community in the High Desert region of California as well as the most commuter-accessible. More than 1 million people live within a 20 mile radius and approximately 100,000 pass through each day—thousands who are part of a diverse and skilled labor pool anxious to trade that commute for a stable and rewarding job in Hesperia, an excellent resource for new projects in the area.

Affordability along with a pleasant desert climate and clean air quality—without neighboring big city congestion—make Hesperia an ideal destination for businesses and families. The City exemplifies smart growth, maintaining a healthy balance between population and development.

Residents enjoy vast recreational opportunities from museum visits and shopping to golfing, skiing and offroading. Citizens of Hesperia also have access to three medical centers and a myriad of educational facilities, including four universities within a 40 mile radius.

HELPING THE OLD WHILE ENTICING THE NEW

“The City of Hesperia has become extremely competitive in its goal of attracting and expanding businesses and creating jobs,” said Steve Lantsberger, Deputy Economic Development Director. Hesperia has implemented many programs to spur new business growth while at the same time helping to ensure the success of existing local companies as well as the City’s future:

Enterprise Zone (EZ)
• Targets economically distressed areas using state and local incentives to promote investment and job creation
– Firms can earn $37,440 or more in state tax credits for each qualified employee hired
– Lenders to Enterprise Zone business may receive a net interest deduction
– Up-front expensing of certain depreciable property
– Corporations can earn sales tax credits on purchases of $20 million per year of qualified machinery and machinery parts
– Up to 100 percent Net Operating Loss (NOL) that may be carried forward 15 years
– EZ companies can earn preference points on state contracts
• Administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD)

Recycling Market Development Zone (RMDZ)
• RMDZ is a specially designated geographical area formed to promote the growth of the recycling industry
• The state offers below-market rate loans and no-cost marketing of products manufactured in an RMDZ
– Loan program is administered by CIWMB and funded through ‘tipping fees’, the charges paid at landfills statewide for the   collection of waste and rubbish
• Technical assistance for preliminary research and development of the new market is available
• Will reduce Hesperia’s carbon footprint and the amount of waste going into its regional landfill

Feet on the Street
• Combined effort by The City of Hesperia, Hesperia Community Redevelopment Agency (HCRA), and the Inland Empire Small   Business Development Center (IESBDC) Business Outreach Program
• Used to determine how local business are doing and how the City and HCRA may be able to assist them
• No-cost business evaluation and consulting program that offers a confidential financial analysis (review and evaluation) by a   qualified business consultant and visits by Economic Development staff to discuss best practices

Broker Incentive
• Incentive devised to motivate real estate agents to present Hesperia and its opportunities to prospective purchasers of   industrial, retail, and commercial developments
– Compensate a buyer’s agent who causes the sale of vacant or blighted land (as determined by the Agency at its sole   discretion) that will result in an industrial, retail or commercial development, thereby promoting investment in a   Redevelopment Project Area
• Will match the agent’s commission up to a maximum of $50,000 pursuant to certain requirements.

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