Elkhart is number one.
In 2009, the Elkhart metropolitan area garnered more corporate investment than any other metropolitan area with a population of less than 200,000, according to a release from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. The IEDC issued the release based on data tracked in Conway Data Inc.’s New Plant Database, which issued Elkhart a Governor’s Cup award. In the 200,000 to 1 million population range, Fort Wayne ranked eighth, with the state ranking 10th.
Governor’s Cup winners are chosen “based on the number of new corporate location projects in each state and metropolitan area.” Those projects must also meet one of three criteria — they must involve a capital investment of at least $1 million, create at least 50 jobs or add at least 20,000 square feet of new floor area.
“The Governor’s Cup Award is a true honor for Elkhart County,” Economic Development Corporation of Elkhart County President Dorinda Heiden-Guss said. “The economic crisis has positioned us on the forefront of national and international news. This award is known to be a leading indicator of future growth and prosperity for a region.”
IEDC CEO and Secretary of Commerce Mitch Roob credited the state’s low-cost business environment as a major attracting factor in business investment.
Conway Data publishes the results of the annual awards in Site Selection, a corporate real estate and economic development magazine. The 56-year Atlanta-based periodical has conducted the Governor’s Cup annually since 1978. The full report can be found at www.siteselection.com.
