Economic Development

Calgary ED Wants Scotland, Ireland to be Part of the Energy

Calgary Economic Development (CED) is taking its innovative “Be Part of the Energy” message to the United Kingdom and Ireland with job fairs in Glasgow and in Dublin. The campaign and slogan was launched last year to showcase Calgary, Alberta as a city, a center of business and a career destination.

Calgary Economic Development - Be Part of the Energy

Calgary Economic Development – Be Part of the Energy (Photo – CED)

Be Part of the Energy is a clever play on the fact that the energy sector in Calgary, Alberta and Canada is booming and attracting top-notch talent from the U.S., Europe and all parts of the world. At the same time, the slogan neatly promotes Calgary’s vibrancy as a place to live and work.

On the CED website, Mary Moran, vice-president of marketing and communications for CED, exhorts you to “explore Calgary’s energetic business community first and discover why so many Canadians love living and doing business here in Calgary. While its leading economic driver is the energy industry, there are many other key industries here as well. Calgary’s opportunities are diverse and plentiful; you are welcome to be part of the energy!”

Up until now, Be Part of the Energy was mainly being pushed by CED and Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi within Canada. The job fairs in Scotland and Ireland from October 5-14, 2012 mark the first time the campaign goes international. Right now, they’re working on attracting companies to take along, who can then recruit candidates in Glasgow and Dublin. CED plans to take representatives from 30 companies.

CED says they chose Glasgow and Dublin because of the quantity and quality of workers looking for opportunities abroad. They conducted a demand and global labor supply study which identified Ireland and Scotland as having workers that were more likely to move to Alberta.

Moran points out that Saskatchewan went to Ireland earlier this year and had 12,000 attend their job fair and came out with 600 hired candidates. To ensure CED does just as well, they have been working with local partners to promote Calgary and Calgary companies in advance of the job fair in October.

After the companies that will be coming have been introduced to prospective candidates in Ireland and Scotland, the CED will have information about each company on its site so that candidates can prescreen and shortlist companies they like. If this strategy works, CED plans to take the Be Part of the Energy campaign, their promotion of Calgary, and job openings in Alberta to other parts of the world.

RNC Site Selection and Economic Benefits For Tampa

After Isaac blew away the Republican National Convention schedule for Monday, August 27, 2012, questions were raised about who decided to hold the GOP convention in Florida during hurricane season. Turns out that there was an intensive site selection process and the eventuality of a hurricane was factored into the decision before Tampa was selected.

Republican National Convention in Tampa Bay

Republican National Convention in Tampa Bay (Photo – 2012tampa.com)

The process began in Jan 2010, when Tampa Bay and Company, which is the visitors bureau for Hillsborough County, submitted an inch-thick bid to the RNC to host the 2012 convention.

Competing bids were submitted by Phoenix and Salt Lake City. The decision to select Tampa over Phoenix and Salt Lake City was made by the RNC site selection panel and ratified by the full committee – after they discussed the eventuality of a hurricane.

Tampa won based on its plan for transportation and hotel stay arrangements over four days. Apart from the 2,286 delegates and 2,125 alternate delegates from all 50 states, DC and five territories, Tampa is hosting 15,000 credentialed media members. All put together, 50,000 people are going to be in Tampa for the convention.

For Tampa, the direct spending associated with the convention works out to $175 million in economic impact for the Greater Tampa Bay area. This is more than the $153 million impact of the 2008 Republican National Convention for the Minneapolis-St. Paul area or the $133.5 million on Denver on account of the Democratic National Convention.

But more important is what it means for development in Tampa over the long term. The Tampa Bay Host Committee has used this opportunity to implement sustainable improvements in transportation, communications and security.

Tampa Bay and Company spokesman Travis Claytor said that they were aiming to provide a sustained economic boost for the entire Tampa Bay area not only from a tourism industry standpoint but also from a business development and relocation standpoint.

With this point of view, they devised transportation proposals for the convention that could be sustained afterwards, including research to create car pools, van pools and park-and-ride lot areas for local employees and things such as direct links from the airport to the Pinellas beaches, downtown and elsewhere.

Isaac or not, Tampa and Florida are about to reap economic benefits from the Republican National Convention which Tampa officials say will be of a category somewhere between hosting the Olympics and the Super Bowl.

Economic Development Commission in Albany To Focus On Job Creation/Industry Retention

www.mysouthwestga.com/

The economic development commission in the region of Albany, Georgia is planning to focus upon job creation and the retention of important industry.

The three “R’s” of economic development will be utilized such as retention, renewal and recruitment. The Executive Director of the EDC whose name is Ted Clem elaborates on how the education system utilizes three “R’s” such as riting, reading and rithmatic.

As the strategic plan was created, the three “R’s” of economic development were kept in mind as a back to basic approach was implemented. The development corporation is considered to be an insular organization.

A particular avenue to get the community involved has not been implemented. The plan is to get the community to be much more community driven so that important ideas can be imposed. The President of the Development Commission is currently looking for some business people who can utilize their skills to better assist the community. A Site Consultant with Georgia Power recommended a Strategic Plan which is composed by all the stakeholders. The EDC staff and Ted Clem invited nearly 100 government, education and business representatives to assist with developing the Strategic Plan. The Director of Marketing for the EDC elaborates on how she tried to reach out towards particular leaders who were having a pivotal impact on economic development.

A group of 40 professional individuals took part in the gathering and excellent insights were recommended. An analysis session was held in which the SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat) were discussed. Clem states that the Development Commission did not go in with a “Pollyanna Approach”. Clem wanted to come up with a way in which weaknesses within the commission can be turned into strengths.

Particular strengths in Albany were pointed out such as:

  1. Quality of Life
  2. Business Climate
  3. Labor Force
  4. Location

Overall, the economic development commission is going to make a positive impact on Albany and the local community.

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Michigan Economic Development Corporation Approves $1.5 Million Strategic Fund

www.grandriverconnection.com/

The Economic Development Corporation in the state of Michigan has approved a Strategic Fund in the amount of $1.5 million dollars as a manufacturing plant will be established in the region.

The brand new manufacturing plant will generate approximately $10 million dollars in private investments. 225 brand new jobs are expected to be created as well. Many of the public officials in Battle Creek approved the new plant that is going to be established. An economic development president named Michael Finney elaborates on how opening the brand new facility in the Battle Creek area will ultimately strengthen the presence in Michigan. More jobs will also be created for years to come.

Michael Finney sent out a written statement about how their will be great opportunities for the state of Michigan as the business climate is improved. Janesville Acoustics is the company that is expanding its facilities and it is one of the largest producers of thermal fiber insulation. Nearly $10 million dollars will be invested to open the brand new 250,000 square foot facility. The building will help to manufacture felt parts for many trucks and cars. The President of Janesville Acoustics elaborates on how the team worked extremely hard to find and establish the production facility.

The correct combination of infrastructure and a skilled workforce has led to a larger base of automotive customers. Tax abatements are ultimately going to be approved as they are a significant source of incentives for Janesville as they begin the process of establishing the brand new facility. A City Manager for Battle Creek pinpoints how he is delighted that the company will establish itself as the economic base is improved. Growth and investment will continue to be supported as productive relationships are slowly built up in Battle Creek.

Overall, the development corporation has made a wise move as more jobs will be created in the process.

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USDA Announces Rural Economic Development Funding for Six States

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced yet another round of grants and loans to help spur economic development and create or save jobs in six states.

USDA Rural Development

USDA Rural Development (photo – usda.gov)

This time, the U.S. department of Agriculture (USDA) is handing out $3.6 million under the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program (REDLG) to recipients in Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

These are zero-interest loans provided by the USDA to local utilities which in turn are supposed to pass the funds through to local businesses for projects to create and retain employment in rural areas.

The two biggest recipients are the Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation in North Carolina and the South Mississippi Electric Power Association in Mississippi. Brunswick is getting a million dollars to fund the Rural Consumer Services Corporation, which will then utilize the funds as working capital to complete energy efficiency improvements. The project will create nine new jobs and save three existing ones.

The South Mississippi Electric Power Association is also getting a million, which they will use to purchase machinery and equipment and finance the construction of an industrial peanut-buying facility in Clarksdale.

The $800,000 being provided to two Iowa companies are set to create 76 jobs. The Hawkeye Tri-County Electric Cooperative gets a $500,000 loan to help fund a 13,000-head-per-year beef slaughtering plant in Lime Springs which will create 41 new jobs. The Laurens Municipal Light & Power Plant gets a $300,000 grant, to which they will add $60,000 to create a $360,000 revolving loan fund. The first loan goes to the Laurens Care Center for renovations that will save 35 jobs.

The Ark Valley Electric Cooperative Association, Inc. in Reno, Kansas is going to the mat to purchase and save the only grocery store in Haven, KS and the nine associated jobs. They are getting a $160,000 REDLG loan.

The Caddo Electric Cooperative, Inc. in Oklahoma is getting a $400,000 loan to help Kimball and Company, LLC expand a veterinary clinic and create or save 18 jobs.

The Dakota Energy Cooperative, Inc. in South Dakota is getting a $300,000 grant to build a commercial building in Huron, SD. This building is a project for the Greater Huron Development Corp., which estimates that the project will enable retention of 10 jobs.

The USDA Rural Development division has an active portfolio of more than $172 billion in loans and loan guarantees. Their programs for the current fiscal year alone amount to $20 billion in loans, loan guarantees and grants.

More information about the USDA Rural development loans and grants can be found on the usda.gov website.

Study – New Orleans Not the Most Blighted City Anymore

The Big Easy has been trying to get past Katrina for a long time now. One benchmark suggests they may just have done so. A new study says New Orleans, Louisiana is no longer the most blighted city in the U.S.

New Orleans blighted homes - March 2008-2012

New Orleans blighted homes – March 2008-2012 (Chart by GNOCDC)

This according to a report prepared by Allison Plyer and Elaine Ortiz for the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center (GNOCDC), based on USPS data on no-stat addresses representing blighted homes or empty lots.

As per GNOCDC, there were an estimated 35,700 blighted homes and empty lots in New Orleans as of March 2012, which is a lot lower than 43,755 in September 2010.

More importantly, the percentage of blighted homes in New Orleans is now less than that for the cities of Detroit and Flint in Michigan. The percentage for New Orleans is 21 percent, while the percentages for Detroit and Flint are 24 and 27 respectively.

The sudden dip in blighted homes in New Orleans is attributed to hectic construction and repair of 8,000 homes in between Sept 2010 and March 2011. Until Sept 201, the percentage of blighted homes was 25 percent in New Orleans, 23 percent in Detroit and 24 percent in Flint.

The study did not cover all major cities in the U.S. Instead, they simply compiled the data for six cities that are all suffering from severe urban decline.  Apart from New Orleans, Detroit and Flint, the report includes data for Baltimore in Maryland and Youngstown and Cleveland in Ohio.

Baltimore clocks in as the best of the worst with 14 percent of its homes blighted, followed by Cleveland at 19 percent and Youngstown tied with New Orleans for the third place at 21 percent.

The report says that the most important factor in reducing New Orleans’ blight is population growth. Between 2010 and 2011, the number of active addresses in the city grew by over 8,000 or 5 percent. This coincides with the Census Bureau’s estimated 5 percent population growth rate between 2010 and 2011.

They also note that it may not be as easy to reduce blight in future as it was in the past three years. This is because the main driving force behind the reduction in blight since 2008 was the billions of federal dollars distributed to New Orleans homeowners through the Road Home program.

Nearly 42,000 homeowners in New Orleans received Road Home Option 1 grants intended to rebuild and reoccupy their storm–damaged home. GNOCDC suggests that if New Orleans, Louisiana is to continue reducing blight at the same rate, then there must be some follow-up to ensure that all these people who received grants have actually rebuilt and reoccupied their homes according to the covenants of their grant.

Read the full GNOCDC report on blighted homes in New Orleans – Download (pdf)

Samsung Austin Semiconductor announces $4B Investment in Texas

Samsung Austin Semiconductor LLC has announced a Texas-sized $4 billion investment at its fab plant in Austin that will be used to renovate the existing fabrication operations.

Samsung Austin Semiconductor plant in Austin, TX

Samsung Austin Semiconductor plant in Austin, TX (photo – samsung.com)

This is the largest single foreign investment ever made in the state of Texas, beating the South Korean company’s own $3.6 billion investment in Austin in Sept 2010.

Together with the $3.5 billion Samsung laid out back when it opened its largest wafer plant in Austin in 2007 and other investments and expansions since then, the total investment by Samsung in Austin adds up to more than $13 billion so far.

“We are honored once again that Samsung has decided to invest in their Austin plant,” said Dave Porter, senior vice president of Economic Development, Austin Chamber of Commerce. “This expansion speaks well for the great relationship between Samsung, the City, County, Manor ISD and the State.”

“We are extremely pleased to extend our presence in Austin and reinforce Samsung’s capacity for highly advanced logic products,” said Dr. Woosung Han, president of Samsung Austin Semiconductor. “The added ability in production will allow our customers to better respond to market needs.”

Starting work this month, this latest expansion project to accommodate full System LSI production is scheduled to initiate mass production within the second half of 2013.

About 2,500 construction and vendor jobs will be created to retrofit the facility and set up the equipment. Samsung already has more than 2,400 tech and permanent employees working at the plant in Austin.

When it opened, the plant was housed in a 1.6 million square foot building, which is about as large as nine football fields and one of the largest buildings in Austin and certainly one of the largest single semiconductor fab facilities in the United States.

The plant manufactures NAND flash memory chips, which are widely used in a host of consumer- related products, such as MP3 players, cell phones, digital cameras, and other mobile devices.

By establishing a synchronized global production network between Samsung’s facilities in Giheung, South Korea and Austin, the company has been able to ramp up its targeted production in Austin in record time.

“I appreciate all our employees’ hard work and dedicated efforts in the successful implementation of the advanced low-power technology at the new logic line in Austin, in-sync with Samsung’s 300mm logic line in Giheung,” said Steve Hah, vice president of Samsung Austin Semiconductor. “Importantly, this achievement enables us to support customer requirements in a timely manner and enhances customer’s level of confidence with us as well as our advanced production competitiveness.”

The Austin, Texas semiconductor plants are the only plants outside of South Korea belonging to Samsung. Currently, Samsung Electronics operates 15 semiconductor fabrication lines.

McHenry County Board Approves $166,000 Dollars For Economic Development

www.firstelectricnewspaper.com/

The McHenry County Board in the state of Illinois has approved nearly $166,000 dollars for economic development purposes.

The board members voted 19 to 5 in favor of EDC funding to grow the economy and the job base. $166,000 dollars will be paid in the year 2013 with an option to extend the contract at the rate of inflation or 5 percent. The counties contribution will be capped so that it cannot exceed 45 percent. There are also many opponents of the EDC budget because the majority of taxpayers have to pay nearly half of the budget for the EDC.

Randy Donley states that the EDC should be far more self-sufficient in the near future. Donley pinpoints that the funds were seed money and not an allowance. For the year 2012, nearly $166,000 dollars is being paid by taxpayers. For the year 2011, only $133,000 dollars was allocated for economic development purposes as many of the board members struggled with a poor economy. A Republican named John Hammerand elaborates on how the county board should have more seats for the EDC as nearly half of the funding comes from them. Hammerand suggests that the EDC becomes privately funded.

A Republican named Scott Breeden elaborates on how the money will be well spent. The overall impact of the money cannot actually be measured but slashing the funding can lead to more noticeable negative measures. The lack of marketing can also be a negative factor as well. A county board liaison elaborates on how the county taking up economic development would yield much better results. The county board liaison pinpoints that the government rarely gets the job done in an efficient manner. The County Board is also going over the 2013 budget.

Overall, the money is going to be used in a positive manner as the economy is struggling in the state of Illinois.

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Cuomo Launches Connect NY Broadband Grant Program

Starting today, New York will begin accepting applications in the “Connect NY” program which provides $25 million in grant funding to promote broadband Internet access across the state.

NY Gov. Cuomo at REDC meeting

NY Gov. Cuomo at REDC meeting (Photo – NY Governor’s Office)

The announcement was made by NY Governor Andrew M. Cuomo at a meeting he hosted with the 10 Regional Economic Development Councils (REDCs) to discuss progress on job creation plans.

Expanding high-speed Internet was identified last year as a priority by the Regional Councils in order to help local businesses.

The grants are being made available through the Regional Councils and Empire State Development and will help expand high speed Internet access in rural upstate and urban areas of New York.

The grants will be awarded in each region to Internet service companies and in partnership with local governments and economic development organizations. Grant applications will be reviewed and scored by the Regional Council in question based on the following metrics.

-          Providing new service to areas with little or no Internet service. Priority will be given for plans that provide internet service in economically distressed areas and in community areas such as parks and libraries.

-          A plan to educate local businesses and residents on how to use broadband to increase economic development.

-          A plan to build off existing Internet networks to broaden the reach of broadband in communities that already have it in only some areas but not throughout the area.

-          Plans that have the support of community stakeholders.

Last year, Governor Cuomo launched the 10 Regional Councils and the Consolidated Funding Application (CFA). In December 2011, $785 million was awarded to the REDCs for job creation and priority projects consistent with each region’s strategic plans. A second round of up to $762 million in state resources was launched in 2012, and the funding awards for the second round will be announced this fall.

During the meeting with the REDCs, Gov. Cuomo heard that all 739 projects that are receiving state funds are underway and more than 75 percent have already reached their first milestone.

“Over the past year, we have seen that regional collaborations and a locally-driven approach to job creation are effective in once again making New York work and putting New Yorkers back to work,” Governor Cuomo said. “Today’s meeting shows the incredible progress we have made and the new programs planned for next year as we continue to build a new New York that supports business and creates jobs.”

10 Economic Development Councils in New York Present $750 Million in Grants

www.silive.com/

The 10 economic development councils in the state of New York have finished up their day long presentation in which nearly $750 million dollars in grants were pitched.

It is already the second round for the development councils as nearly ¾ of a billion dollars has been utilized for funding the downtown revitalization, biotech and cancer research. Governor Cuomo spoke to a myriad of leaders from the Long Island region to Buffalo.

The Governor recommended spending more money on other projects as well. Governor Cuomo pinpoints that the state of New York has been neglected which is the reason why an economic decline ensued.

The Governor elaborates on how other Governors in other states were acting as the heads of the chamber as they waited for businesses to come in the region. As a result of all the neglect, the state of New York fell behind in an economic sense. Cuomo states that New York has to unfortunately learn the hard way. The President of the Business Council elaborates on how the distribution of the money is more organized as it is allocated towards the development councils. Many legislative leaders and Governors were responsible for distributing the economic development funds in the past. The President of the Business Council states that it hasn’t been “Ad Hoc” as it has been in the past.

The business council released an annual report card and Republicans in the Senate received high marks for an agenda which is pro-business. Many Democrats also received much higher marks when compared to the year before.

High grades were also given for:

  1. Property Tax Cap
  2. Pension Tier for Workers in the Public
  3. State Budgets

Even though there are advancements being made, the state of New York still has to go a long way to ultimately become business friendly.

Overall, the development grants are going to be beneficial to the state and the local community.

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