|
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
WELD COUNTY RANKS
HIGH AS “BEST FOR DOING BUSINESS TODAY”
Date: July 15, 2008
Contact: Larry Burkhardt
(970) 356-4565
The
Greeley/Weld MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) has been identified as #25 in
a list of 335 MSA’s in the country in the INC.com annual list of Best U.S.
Cities for Doing Business Today. The
rankings were created and released in conjunction with NewGeography.com.
In releasing
the study results, a statement from Praxis Strategy Group states: “The Inc.com Best Cities list focuses on
short and long-term job growth. It tells
us precisely not just where jobs are being created—a sure sign of economic
vitality-- but where the momentum is shifting.
For entrepreneurs, this suggests what may be the best places to locate
or expand your business.”
“Lists like
the Inc.com inventory provide valuable information to leaders in cities that
make the list—and especially those who don’t, or who are categorized
differently than they hoped,” says Delore Zimmerman, President of Praxis
Strategy Group. “It permits them to
gauge their local economy’s performance against hundreds of others across the
nation.”
In fact, the
Inc.com study is the latest of several recent studies that has identified the
Greeley/Weld MSA as one of the country’s top economic performers. In March of this year, Forbes Magazine
identified the area as the #1 MSA in the country for 5-year income growth. In November, 2007, the Milken Institute
pointed to Greeley/Weld as #10 in the nation for 1-year job growth.
During 2007,
Weld County primary employers created more
than 2,000 new jobs—a number that most in the country would envy. To this point in 2008, there have been two
major corporate announcements in Weld
County. The first was from AVA Solar, which announced
that 180-200 manufacturing jobs would be locating in the unincorporated area of
Weld County near Firestone and
Frederick. The second was Leprino Foods,
which announced in June that the company would be constructing a 400,000 square
foot processing facility in Greeley,
and creating at least 260 jobs.
According to
Upstate Colorado Economic Development, recent interest in Weld County
locations from employers has been high.
The nonprofit economic development agency suggests it is likely that additional
corporate announcements will be made in the second half of 2008.
|