NEW YORK (August 16, 2007) — Penton Media’s Expansion Management™, a business magazine for executives of companies actively looking to expand or relocate their facilities, today released its 2007 “Mayor’s Challenge” rankings, a “best of the best” list based upon the results of seven research studies the magazine has published over the past 12 months. The Austin-Round Rock, Texas MSA ranked first in this year’s list, followed by Minneapolis, Raleigh, Washington, D.C., and Kansas City. Rounding out this year’s top 10 are Richmond, Pittsburgh, Omaha, Fargo, N.D., and Seattle.
Texas led all states with seven metros making the list of 5-Star Business Opportunity Metros, an honor awarded to the top 20 percent of all U.S. metros. Missouri, Pennsylvania and Virginia were next, with four metros. Eight states — Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Washington and Wisconsin — each had three metros on the 5-Star list. In all, 72 out of 362 metros were awarded the 5-Star designation. Thirty-three states and the District of Columbia are represented on this list. A list of this year’s “Five-Star Business Opportunity Metros,” as well as their percentile rankings in each of the major categories, is available in the August 2007 issue of Expansion Management and on the Web at www.expansionmanagement.com.
Throughout the year, Expansion Management publishes a series of ratings that evaluate the business potential of each metro area in the U.S., according to a variety of criteria that impact a company’s ability to be successful in that location. The publication’s six major studies compared the 362 MSAs according to public school quality, knowledge worker availability, business healthcare costs, logistics infrastructure, middle class affordability and lifestyle, and taxes and infrastructure spending. In all, a total of 362 MSAs were evaluated based on nearly 130 statistical criteria.
“Most metros have at least one area of strength when it comes to attracting business,” said Bill King, chief editor of Expansion Management. “The metro areas that made this list are strong across the board. For employers looking for the best location for a new manufacturing facility, distribution center, or regional headquarters, these cities represent an excellent value.”
For additional information on the “2007 Mayor’s Challenge” rankings, contact Bill King, chief editor, at (913) 338-1503, or email BillKing@Penton.com.
Expansion Management is part of Penton Media’s industry-leading Commercial Real Estate Group, which includes the National Real Estate Investor®, Retail Traffic® and Lodging Hospitality® brands. The magazine distributed to more than 44,000 CEOs, vice presidents, directors and other officers of companies that have indicated they are considering expanding into new geographic areas. In addition to its bimonthly magazine, the publication offers e-newsletters, Webcasts, conferences and additional digital information for its audience. For more information, visit www.expansionmanagement.com. Expansion Management is published by Penton Media, Inc.
Penton Media, Inc. is the largest independent business-to-business media company in the U.S., serving more than six million business professionals every month. The company's market-leading brands are focused on 30 industries and include 113 trade magazines, 145 Web sites, 150 industry trade shows and conferences, and more than 500 information data products. Headquartered in New York City, the privately held company is owned by MidOcean Partners and U.S. Equity Partners II, an investment fund sponsored by Wasserstein & Co., LP, and its co-investors. For additional information on the company and its businesses, visit www.penton.com .
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