BF-Jan/Feb-2021
Economic development creates opportunities to grow state, local and metro areas, which are essential for economic growth, improved quality of life and community development. BF-Jan/Feb-2021 articles below.
Life Sciences Hubs: Good Genes, GREAT Growth
Billions in private equity and public funding are flowing into the life sciences sector, which is front and center in the battle against the pandemic.
Utah: Good To Great
Box Elder County, Utah is consistently learning and growing, with more and more to offer the business community.
Making It Happen In Joplin, Missouri
Entrepreneurs are flocking to the Joplin region, where they can leverage a low cost of living, world-class transportation infrastructure and a regional workforce.
Arkansas: Headquarters Of Home-Grown Giants
Every Fortune 500 company headquartered in Arkansas began as a small, family-owned business.
Edmonton, Alberta: On The Short List For Global Players
The Edmonton Metro region is an innovative hub of emerging growth sectors with a diverse and talented population creating opportunities for investment right now.
North Carolina: One-Stop Shop For Food Industry
When it comes to the entire food chain—from agriculture to agribusiness to food and beverage manufacturing—North Carolina is second to none.
Kansas: Setting A Bountiful Table In The Heartland
As the nation’s top wheat producer, Kansas has long been an agribiz leader. The Sunflower State also is in the top tier for food manufacturing.
Snapshots: 60 Seconds with Ryan Combs, Research Triangle Regional Partnership
Ryan Combs, Executive Director at North Carolina's Research Triangle Regional Partnership, discusses foreign direct investment, higher education, and biotech in the region.
Nevada, Canada To Open Mining Incubator In Elko, NV
MineConnect will give rural Northeastern Nevada access to the heart of the Canadian mining industry.
Louisiana: Shintech Invests $1.3 Billion In Plastics Expansion
Shintech, the world’s top producer of polyvinyl chloride resins, will grow manufacturing and packaging facilities at its Iberville/West Baton Rouge complex.
Data Centers: Growing By The Gig
As more companies put their business activities on the cloud, data centers with the potential for scalability and proximity to cloud “on ramps” are better poised to compete, according to CBRE’s latest report.
Texas: Bigger And Better
From a skilled, growing workforce to low taxes and competitive incentives, everything is bigger and better in Texas.
Florida State Focus: Changes And Challenges
From COVID challenges to the road to recovery, not unlike many others, Florida is dealing with new territory in 2021.
Aerospace: The Sky’s The Limit
While defense spending has remained stable, commercial aviation has been on life support during the coronavirus pandemic. It may take until 2024 to return to pre-pandemic levels of passenger jet air traffic.
Electric Vehicles: Charging To The Top
Electric vehicles are no longer the wave of a distant future: 2021 will be a breakout year for e-vehicles in the wake of General Motors’ announcement that it will end production of internal combustion engines in 2035.
Shovel-Ready Sites: Certified And Ready To Go
Precertified sites—A.K.A. shovel-ready sites—speed up the development cycle for projects by cutting the red tape and lining up key approvals in advance of the site selection process.
Top Utilities: Power Players
Electricity demand in the commercial sector was down by 6 percent while the industrial sector saw a 6.9 percent reduction in 2020 due to the impact of the pandemic on the U.S. economy.
North Carolina: Rising Star With A Global Reach
In the last century, our 2020 State of the Year has been tops in tobacco, textiles and furniture. Today, North Carolina is on the cutting edge of advanced manufacturing, biotech, gene therapy and unmanned aerial systems.
West Virginia Governor’s Report: Rising To The Challenge
West Virginia is leading the nation in the fight against COVID-19, finding innovative ways to distribute vaccines. WV also is leading the way to the first high-speed hyperloop transit system.
January / February 2021 Issue (Volume 54, Number 1)
The January / February 2021 Issue features our annual State of the Year and Deal of the Year awards. Plus, our editor's top utility picks, the future of electric vehicles, and more.
2020 Economic Development Deal Of The Year
Dozens of transformative high-tech projects vied for our 2020 Deal of The Year Award. The Tesla Gigafactory lands the biggest prize for Greater Austin, TX.
Silver Award: 2020 Economic Development Deal Of The Year
Louisiana, a giant in the production of fossil fuels, is busy preparing for a green future with a $9.2-billion complex that will make diesel from renewable feedstocks.
Bronze Award: 2020 Economic Development Deal Of The Year
Centene is bringing its $1B East Coast headquarters to Charlotte, NC, creating more than 1 million square feet of new office space.
Honorable Mention Awards: 2020 Economic Development Deal Of The Year
Our 2020 Deal of the Year competition drew the most diverse (and impressive) field of projects to date, making it much tougher to narrow down our annual list of Honorable Mentions.
