Austin, Texas (1/19)
As the capital of the Lone Star State - itself well known for its business-friendly policies - Austin stands out. For companies large and small, the metro area has been a sound choice for expansions and relocations. And its businesses consistently push boundaries, creating high-tech and cutting-edge innovations that in turn spur even more investment.
San Antonio, Texas (3/19)
Boston, Charlotte, Dallas,
Oklahoma City, and San
Antonio all received six mentions.
San Antonio, the seventh-
largest U.S. city, is noted
for offering big metro advantages
at relatively low cost.
"All those savings in this day
and time are very important in
corporate America," says
Mario Hernandez, president of
the San Antonio Economic
Development Foundation.
Businesses choose San
Antonio not only for the savings,
but also for its top-quality
power through municipallyowned
CPS Energy, and its
young, one-million-strong
work force.
Over the past two years, San
Antonio attracted nearly 9,000
jobs during one of the worst
global financial crises. "For us
to be adding these kinds of
job-producing investments in a
recession says a lot for the stability and potential for growth here,"
Hernandez says.
In 2010, Petco announced it would
move its company's financial operations
to San Antonio, along with 600
jobs paying an average annual salary
of $57,000. There are also the metro's
growing healthcare, bioscience and
biotech, IT, and aerospace sectors. Its
cyber security niche attracted the 24th
Air Force, a new U.S. Air Force division
focused on cyber command security.
Looking ahead, San Antonio seeks
to grow its green jobs and renewable
energy, cyber security, bioscience, and
aerospace industries.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (4/19)
Oklahoma City distinguished itself for its
financial and employment strength both
during and after the recession. Over the
past two years, its average unemployment
rate was one of the lowest in the
nation at 6.1 percent, at least three percentage
points below the national average.
The municipality has very little debt
and has retained a Triple A bond rating,
the highest rating available. While the
city wasn't immune to the recession's
effects, it continued to perform well during
tough times. Transportation options,
access to market, and growth in industries
such as aerospace and bioscience,
have attracted expansions.
In 2010, Boeing said it would relocate
550 jobs to Oklahoma City, and energy
company Continental Resources
announced a headquarters relocation to
the metro. The local government's financial
stability is also an important signal
to businesses.
"It makes it a lot easier for companies to
be successful when you're in that kind of
environment," says Robin Roberts
Krieger, executive vice president of the
Greater Oklahoma City Chamber. That
fiscal soundness helped the chamber
bring 90 projects and more than 4,100
jobs to Oklahoma City last year, at an
investment value of at least $345 million.
Amarillo, Texas (15/19)
Significant investment & job creation projects:
• Bell Helicopter Textron, Military aircraft
assembly, $31M, 459 jobs
Tulsa, Oklahoma (17/19)
The Tulsa Metro Chamber's economic development division is the primary regional contact for the seven-county Tulsa metro area located in the northeast portion of Oklahoma. Tulsa balances convenience, affordability, and a great quality of life with a talented work force, a central U.S. location, and a probusiness atmosphere.
Clovis, New Mexico (18/19)
Significant investment & job creation projects:
• Tres-Amigas Superstation, Electrical
grid interconnect, $300M, 60 jobs