First Word: Winning Hearts And Minds
Abig congrats to Virginia, Tennessee and Massachusetts for being named winners of the three separate categories of the Best States in 2021 by Business Facilities magazine.
As you will read in this issue, Virginia was named the state (commonwealth) with the Best Overall Business Climate, Tennessee was named the state with the Best Deals last year, and Massachusetts was named the state (commonwealth) with the best talent and educational system.
To the officials in each of these states, take a bow.
Now get back to work…STAT.
If anyone believes they can rest on their laurels in today’s super-hyper competitive environment, they are sadly mistaken. Every state in the country, plus regional economic development associations and city groups, are eagerly upping their games to attract new business development and relocations.
They have to. With the workplace changing as fast as anyone can say COVID-19, corporations throughout the land realize they have a great opportunity and need to search for the best location to place a new facility or even relocate existing operations, including regional, national or worldwide headquarters.
The battle is on. Officials in Virginia, Tennessee and Massachusetts should be admired and commended for what they accomplished last year and the great job they have done over the years to get their communities into that position.
But, they are not alone in this journey to entice corporations to their communities.
The struggle to win hearts and minds—and projects that bring capital investment and jobs to communities—in a rapidly-evolving post-COVID world is just beginning.
Seth Mendelson
[email protected]
Business Facilities January / February 2022 Issue
ON THE COVER
STATES OF THE YEAR: Virginia, Tennessee, and Massachusetts | Despite intense competition from across the country, Virginia, Tennessee and Massachusetts stand out as the states with the overall best business climate, best deals and workforce/education respectively for 2021.
FEATURES
2021 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEAL OF THE YEAR AWARDS
- Gold Award | The Ford Motor Company and SK Innovation are investing about $5.6 billion to turn a previously-empty lot into a state-of-the-art battery and vehicle manufacturing plant in West Tennessee.
- Silver Award | Samsung is coming back to central Texas to build a semiconductor manufacturing facility and invest $17 billion in the project.
- Bronze Award | KORE Power chose the growing city of Buckeye, AZ for its next lithium-ion battery storage manufacturing facility. The deal will create about 3,000 new advanced manufacturing jobs.
- Impact Awards | Business Facilities magazine picked 15 companies that had the most impact in their respective categories in 2021.
Top Utilities: More Power To You | From municipally-owned power providers to expansive regional entities, these top utilities of 2021 did much more than provide energy.
Digging In With Shovel-Ready Sites | Being prepared for any and every corporate relocation or expansion scenario is vital for any community seeking new business ventures. Certified sites are a good start.
SPECIAL REPORTS
The Aerospace Industry: Soaring Away | Expectations that the COVID-19 pandemic may soon ease is giving some hope to aviation and aerospace executives.
Locations For Intermodal Facilities: Connecting The Dots | Intermodal services are becoming much more important as supplies seek a faster way to market.
Processing A New World In The Food Chain | Quality and freshness remain the two top priorities in the food processing industry. Can suppliers keep up?
Florida Is Shining Bright | Changing lifestyle choices are helping Florida gain an edge against other states in the battle for awareness among corporate executives.
Kansas: Smack In The Middle | The Sunflower State wants to use a number of assets, including geographic location, to entice more companies to try it out.
The Eyes Of Texas | The Lone Star State remains at the front of the pack in terms of economic development. Interest in the state might just be starting to heat up even more.
Community Profile: Seeking Paradise In The U.S. Virgin Islands | The U.S. Virgin Islands offers companies looking for a new place to grow a plethora of impressive business advantages in a tropical paradise.
The Last Word | Even in the age of COVID-19, the process of selecting the right site for a business remains a crucial part of business activities across the country.
BUSINESS REPORTS
Louisiana Fights Back | The Cajun State is taking the right steps to come out strong after the COVID-19 pandemic.
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