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Press release from the Office of the Governor:
RALEIGH – Gov. Pat McCrory announced on Monday that North Carolina jumped to fourth place among all states in Site Selection magazine’s 2014 Governor’s Cup, a closely-watched ranking of economic development success.
North Carolina moved up three spots as compared to last year’s ranking. The Governor’s Cup is awarded annually based on the number of new and expanded corporate facilities as tracked by Conway Data Inc.’s New Plant Database. North Carolina ranked number one in the South Atlantic region.
[Editor’s note: The rankings refer to the number of projects in North Carolina, which was 313 in 2014.]
“National rankings draw attention to North Carolina’s outstanding business climate,” McCrory said. “In today’s competitive world, companies are on the lookout for locations that deliver clear advantages, such as North Carolina’s tremendous workforce, transportation links, plus lower taxes and business costs.”
The magazine’s Governor’s Cup also features state rankings by region as well as a ranking of metro areas.
For 2014, North Carolina ranked first in the number of facility projects in the South Atlantic region, on both an overall and per capita basis. The Greensboro-High Point metro area ranked first in the country among areas with populations between 200,000 and 1 million. The Durham-Chapel Hill metro area ranked sixth in the same size classification.
“Both our state and local economic developers attracted more than 300 businesses in the past year to create jobs, invest more capital or expand here in North Carolina,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary John Skvarla. “We will continue to work hard to create the best business environment in the nation.”
In the national rankings, North Carolina trailed only Texas, Ohio and Illinois. Georgia ranked fifth.
Conway Data’s New Plant Database focuses on new corporate location projects with significant impact. New facilities and expansions included in the analysis must meet at least one of three criteria: involve a capital investment of at least $1 million, create at least 20 new jobs or add at least 20,000 square feet of new floor area.
The 2014 Governor’s Cup rankings can be seen at www.siteselection.com.
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