Baton Rouge and Louisiana have each received a
top three ranking in the nation for the high number of business
expansions announced on the metro and state level in 2013. In its annual
economic development rankings, trade publication Site Selection magazine places Baton Rouge tied for second among all U.S. metros with a population between 200,000 and 1 million for the number of new major projects or expansions announced last year.
Baton Rouge's 46 projects tied it with the
Allentown, Pa.-Bethlehem, Pa. metro area, and placed it just two
projects behind the No. 1 metro area on the list: Omaha, Neb.-Council
Bluffs, Iowa. This year marks the fourth in a row that Baton Rouge has
ranked in the top 10 on the list. Last year, the 34 new or expanded
projects in the Baton Rouge area was good enough for a No. 4 ranking nationwide.
"Being included on this list four years in a
row is a testament to the strength of our region and the momentum
underway," says BRAC President and CEO Adam Knapp in a press release.
Site Selection counts projects
in its ranking only if they include a capital investment of at least $1
million, create at least 50 jobs, or add at least 20,000 square feet of
floor space. Retail, government projects, schools and hospitals are not
counted. BRAC says it worked with 15 companies last year that ultimately
announced expansions or relocations in the region.
"These projects will result in the
creation of over 2,167 new jobs, $112 million in new payroll, and $4.4
billion in capital investment," reads the release from BRAC, which notes
the payroll and capital investment figures are both local records.
Site Selection also ranks Louisiana No. 3 among all states for the number of projects it announced last year,
per capita. The 180 projects per capita recorded in Louisiana trailed
only Ohio and Nebraska. Texas, meanwhile, was awarded the magazine's
Governor's Cup for total business developments and expansions in 2013.
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