January / February 2017 Issue (Volume 50, Number 1)

Business Facilities' January / February 2017 issue features the winners of our annual State of the Year and Economic Development of the Year awards, Plus, auto manufacturing, food processing, and data centers, and we celebrate 50 years of building inspiration.

January / February 2017Business Facilities January / February 2017

Snapshots: 60 Seconds with Robert Buckhorn, Mayor, Tampa, FL | Mayor Buckhorn discusses Tampa’s fast-growing job market, highly-ranked business tax structure, infrastructure improvements, and efforts to become a leader in STEM-oriented manufacturing.

ON THE COVER – State of the Year: Texas | The Lone Star State, the first winner of our top honor in 2007 and a repeat winner in 2012, hits the trifecta in 2016 as it continues to grow the most dynamic and diverse state economy in the nation.

50 Years of Building Inspiration | With this issue, BF commences its 50th volume and commemorates Group C Media’s half-century of building upon Ed Coene’s enduring legacy as a publishing entrepreneur and visionary.

2016 Economic Development Deal of the Year Awards

  • Gold Award: Mississippi Lands Continental Tire | The Magnolia State, already an automotive powerhouse, becomes an epicenter of tire production with Continental’s $1.45-billion plant, a project that will directly create 2,500 new jobs.
  • Silver Award: GM Doubles Down in Tennessee | General Motors is investing $789 million in an expansion of its Spring Hill, TN plant, a project expected to yield an estimated economic impact for the region of $3 billion in the next decade.
  • Bronze Award: Honeywell Picks Georgia | A partnership with Georgia’s university system to train skilled workers brings Honeywell’s new software development center to Atlanta.

Auto-tech is Revving Up | Auto manufacturers are joining forces with tech giants in a race to hit the road with the latest vehicle advancements.

Food Processing Gets Productive | Compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act, controlling costs and workforce training are among top industry priorities.

Buzz Grows Around the Beehive State | According to a recent report, 2016 was a good year for Utah economically and continued success lies ahead.

Big Data is Getting Even Bigger | Demand continues to surge in the Data Center sector, with cloud computing playing a bigger role.

Hesperia, CA Has It All | A strategic location with a thriving community and low costs all around—Hesperia is ready for your business.

Louisiana: Leading LNG Export Hub | Venture Global LNG will invest $13 billion in a natural gas liquefaction facility and LNG export terminal in Plaquemines Parish, making the Pelican State an LNG export leader.

Kansas: GM Grows Its Footprint | GM is expanding near its Fairfax assembly plant in Kansas City, leasing an 830,000-square-foot industrial building.

Florida: The Sound of Success | A bid to make Jacksonville a base for F-35 fighters could land an annual economic impact of $100 million.

Texas: Expanding a Global Reach | Governor Greg Abbot is working to expand trade relations and commercial ties with Taiwan and Belgium.

Arkansas: A Bang-bang Consolidation | Airgun makers Daisy and Gamo Outdoor team up.

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