Many states are considering replacing state economic development agencies with public-private partnerships. We asked IEDC’s chief executive to tell us how these partnerships work. BF: Is a public-private partnership a more effective vehicle for job creation than a state economic development agency or a Department of Commerce? MR: It certainly has worked for us in Indiana. If you look at the results, IEDC ha ...

Metro Spotlight ...

A new form of entertainment is coming to Jersey City later this year when Pole Position Raceway opens its doors just a mile away from the Statue of Liberty. The state-of-the-art indoor karting center will feature two giant race tracks inside a 75,000-square-foot-facility, and the location couldn’t be much better. “I think people are going to really be amazed at what we are creating,” said owner Eyal Farage. ...

Caterpillar Grows in Lee County, NC Caterpillar Inc. will enlarge its Sanford plant in Lee County, NC and create 325 jobs over the next four years. A Caterpillar supplier will also come to the city bringing 160 jobs. The $28 million expansion is expected to be complete by July of 2011 with new jobs paying an average annual wage of $35,602. Caterpillar is the world’s largest maker of construction and mining ...

Business Facilities LiveXchange is an invitation-only event for corporate executives responsible for choosing a new location for their companies’ next facility. Delegates meet with senior economic developers from across North America; attend seminars, workshops, and think tanks led by experts in the field of relocation and expansion; and network with other corporate executives faced with the same corporate growth challenges. This month, we preview some of the high-profile speakers who will be making presentations at our 2010 LiveXchange keynote address, seminars and workshops. ...

Gov. Gary Herbert is busy cultivating an economic “garden” in the Beehive State, planting a culture of enhanced entrepreneurship in fertile soil for business expansions yielding a bountiful crop of homegrown jobs. ...

Cummins to Expand Seymour Engine Plant Executives from Cummins Inc. joined recently with Lt. Governor Becky Skillman to announce the company will expand its High-Horsepower Technical Center and High-Horsepower engine product line at the newly renamed Seymour Engine Plant, creating up to 200 new jobs by 2015. The Fortune 500 Company plans to invest approximately $100 million in machinery, equipment and the c ...

From the Desk of the Editor in Chief ...

Rebounding strong from the national downturn, Texas stands out as a place of economic opportunity with many of its cities emerging as growth leaders in the Sun Belt. ...

Locations across the country have made renewable energy central to their economic recovery strategies. The race is on to claim a leadership position in solar, wind, geothermal and biofuel generation and manufacturing. ...