July / August 2020 Issue (Volume 53, Number 4)

The July / August 2020 Issue features our 16th annual Rankings Report, including state, metro, and global rankings. Plus, an update on economic development's response to COVID-19.

Business Facilities  July / August 2020

July / August 2020ON THE COVER

2020 Business Facilities Rankings Report | We put the impact of the pandemic in lockdown mode when we calculated the results for our 16th annual Rankings Report, so our red carpet still is reserved for the best of the best, as usual.

2020 Rankings Report: Top-Ranked States | We’ve got a new name for our workforce development ranking, a new category ranking the leaders in Digital Infrastructure and an early look at the states poised to dominate offshore wind power.

2020 Rankings Report: Top-Ranked Metros | Our Metro Rankings report features our first-ever ranking of the leading industrial parks. The top metro in our Millennial Magnets scoreboard may surprise you (hint: they’re also tall in the saddle).

FEATURES

Doubling Down On Renewables | The U.S. EIA’s Annual Energy Outlook 2020 forecasts a rapid decline of coal and nuclear power in this decade, the continuing expansion of renewables and the growth of U.S. exports of oil and gas.

Deadline Extended To Invest In Opportunity | The IRS has extended a critical deadline for investments in qualified opportunity zones until the end of 2020, hoping to entice investors who have largely sat on their money during the global pandemic.

COVID-19: Response And Recovery | EDOs and local businesses continue to join forces, finding inspiring and innovative ways to meet the most urgent needs of the crisis.

SPECIAL REPORTS

Florida’s Way Forward | The Sunshine State is used to making things grow, this includes its tech industry, where FL is sprouting thousands of new jobs.

Is It OK To Scream On The Roller Coaster? | Visitors to the most popular sites and attractions in the country will find them adjusted to the reality of life in a pandemic…but it’s still better than staying home.

Over-The-Horizon Resource Plan | Indiana-based Hoosier Energy is diversifying, integrating new energy-related possibilities in order to help address changing demands.

Making Space For New Priorities | To meet longer-term storage and cargo fluidity needs, Georgia Ports Authority purchased 145 acres adjacent to the Port of Savannah.

Louisiana Commissions Resilience | When COVID-19 rewrote business plans in 2020, Louisiana started charting a path toward safely reopening the economy and making the state more resilient for the long-term.

Tarheel Temptations Reel In Big Fish | Through two popular incentive programs, the NC Department of Commerce tailors grants to help attract jobs and the company making an investment.

Silicon Makes Gold In The Copper State | A semiconductor manufacturer’s $12-billion project announcement could set Arizona up with 1,600 new jobs.

More Than The Sum Of Its Parts | While the New England states fit together like a scenic puzzle, when you dig deeper it’s clear each has its own economic benefits and charm.

Enchanted Land For Logistics | Companies in the manufacturing and logistics sector are making major investments in New Mexico.

Consumers Energy: Energy And Beyond | Consumers Energy is committed to helping small businesses, nonprofits and communities prosper—in energy and beyond—now more than ever.

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