Business Facilities - September 2008 - (Page 17)

the Metropolitan Area Program (MAP), and we asked the voters for a temporary one-cent sales tax that would last for five years. This paid for $350 million worth of improvements we made to the metro area. “We built a canal, put dams in the river, built a Triple-A baseball stadium and the Ford Center, a sports center built to NHL and NBA standards— even though we did not have those teams at that time. We built a trolley system, a convention center and a new library for downtown as well. We renovated the performing arts center and our fairgrounds,” Williams says. “It was an investment in the city that paid off wildly. We’ve had $3.4 billion in corporate investment pour into the city as a result. Our fairgrounds host 14 major national and international horse shows and bring in $250 million annually. And because the Ford Center was built to NBA standards, we are now getting an NBA team here. We also now have a $150 million American Indian Cultural Center that’s part of the Smithsonian being built here.” All of that work launched Oklahoma City as a tourism destination for the first time in its history. But that’s not why Forbes just voted it the “most recession-proof metro in the country.” That ranking is due to an industry that’s been part of Oklahoma City’s economy for decades— the oil drilling industry. The metro area has several large corporations that specialize in drilling for oil and natural gas. Devon Energy and Chesapeake Energy were both launched in and headquartered in Oklahoma City. Chesapeake employs 3,000; Devon has a workforce of 1,500. Most importantly, both companies have continued to grow with Chesapeake, adding about 30 to 50 employees a month, according to Williams. The OKC Chamber is committed to continuing to diversify the metro’s industry base as well by GREAT CHOICE The State of Utah thanks the many fine companies who have selected Utah as the location to build or expand major new projects in our State. Utah “Most Dynamic Economy” All of these companies will be able to provide their employees with an unparalleled quality of life and in the process enjoy “the Most Dynamic Economy” in the country. The Procter & Gamble Utah “Best State for Business” Rural or urban, the Utah lifestyle and productivity of the workforce is among the best in the world. Your company can make the right choice and join these and other great companies in Utah. Enjoy the many benefits you will find by moving your company to Utah, widely praised as a “Best State for Business.” For help with your move, call or email us at 801-538-8828 or ahamblin@utah.gov. See “What’s Right In Utah,” visit our website at www.goed.utah.gov/dvd and order your “Utah is the Answer” DVD today! (801) 538-8828 www.goed.utah.gov #4501 at www.BusinessFacilities.com BUSINESS FACILITIES 17 http://www.goed.utah.gov/dvd http://www.goed.utah.gov http://www.goed.utah.gov http://www.BusinessFacilities.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Business Facilities - September 2008

Business Facilities- September 2008 Contents First Word Snapshots Corporate Moves:�Mississippi Editor's Location Picks 2008 The Palmetto State Reaches Across the Sea Corporate Moves:�Tennessee Metro Spotlight:�Spokane, WA Biotech: Building Block for Development Wind Power Lifts Iowa Germany:�Europe's Economic Juggernaut California Here We Come Up, Up and Away in North Carolina Corporate Moves:�West Virginia Metro Spotlight:�Decatur/Greensburg, IN Advertiser Index Ask the Expert

Business Facilities - September 2008

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