FALL 2016 SB&D 53 Southern Business & Development | FALL 2015 | 55Southern Business & Development | SPRING 2015 | 55

Metro Atlanta

Metro Dallas-Fort Worth

Metro HoustonTampa Bay

*SB&DFall2015_055-087_bestof.indd 55 12/19/15 12:16 PM

We continue with our series, “The Best of Economic Development in the American South.” Since the spring 2015 issue, we have featured the best of economic development

in all 15 Southern states, and now we move to mega-markets (populations over 2.5 million). We polled members of the Southern Economic Development Roundtable to come

up with the best of 20 economic development categories in metro Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and Tampa Bay. You can use the results as a unique aid in your search for

a suitable site for your business in the American South.

1. Metro Atlanta’s Most Important Employers

• Coca-Cola• Delta Airlines• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta

International Airport• UPSAlso receiving votes: AT&T; Georgia Power; Georgia Tech; Emory University-Em-ory Healthcare; Home Depot; Southern Company; SunTrust.

2. Metro Atlanta’s Most Important New Employers

• Baxter International• Mercedes-Benz• NCR• PorscheAlso receiving votes: Cater-pillar; GE.

3. Metro Atlanta’s Most Admired Companies

• Coca-Cola• Southern Company

• UPSAlso receiving votes: Cen-ters for Disease Control and Prevention; Delta Airlines; Emory University-Emory Healthcare; The Home Depot.

4. Best Places to Live in Metro Atlanta

• Alpharetta• Roswell• Sandy Springs• SmyrnaAlso receiving votes: De-catur; Duluth; Dunwoody; Johns Creek; Mableton; Marietta; Midtown; North-east Cobb Township; Peachtree Corners; Su-wanee; Tucker; Tyrone; Vinings.

5. Best Public School Systems in Metro Atlanta

• Buford City Schools• Decatur City Schools• Fulton County Schools• Gwinnett County Schools

Meriwether County was voted one of the best places for

manufacturing in South Metro Atlanta. Pictured at right is the

Meriwether County Courthouse.

Atlanta-based Delta Airlines and the Hartsfield-Jackson

Atlanta International Airport were named as two of Metro

Atlanta’s most important employers.

ATLANTABest of Economic Development in

54 SB&D FALL 2016

Also receiving votes: Bremen City Schools; Carrollton City Schools; Cherokee County Schools; For-syth County Schools.

6. Best Places for Headquarter Operations in Metro Atlanta

• Alpharetta• Cobb County• Duluth• Midtown AtlantaAlso receiving votes: Downtown; Dunwoody; Norcross; Peachtree Corners; Roswell; Sandy Springs.

7. Best Places for Innovation in Metro Atlanta

• Atlanta Tech Village• Georgia Tech Advanced

Technology Center• Georgia Tech Enterprise

Innovation Institute• Midtown Innovation DistrictAlso receiving votes: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Emory University.

8. Best Places for Startups in Metro Atlanta

• Advanced Technology Development Center

• Atlanta Tech Village• Georgia Tech• Midtown Innovation DistrictAlso receiving votes: Hypepota-mus; Strongbox West.

9. Best Places for Distribution Centers in Metro Atlanta

• Clayton County• Coweta County• Gwinnett County• Henry CountyAlso receiving votes: DeKalb County; Jackson County; Rock-dale County.

10. Best Places for Call Centers in Metro Atlanta

• Cobb County• Duluth• Fulton County• NorcrossAlso receiving votes: Alpharetta; Roswell; Tucker.

CONTINUED

Southern Business Development Magazine has namedSpalding County and The Lakes at Green Valley as one of the

Best Places for Manufacturing in South Metro AtlantaThe Lakes at Green Valley Industrial Park as one of the

Best Industrial Sites in Metro Atlanta

Spalding County and The Lakes at Green Valley Industrial Park are proud to be recognized by Southern Business and Development Magazine. The Lakes at Green Valley Industrial Park is the first Eco mixed-use park in Georgia.

A combination of both an educated workforce and dedicated local leadership have made the difference in attracting new economic growth to Griffin-Spalding County. The Griffin-Spalding County Development Authority works jointly with the City of Griffin and Spalding County to attract capital investment and jobs to the area.

www.gsda.net

METRO ATLAN

TA

the lakes at green valley industrial park

109 East Solomon Street • P.O. Box 1009 • Griffin, GA(770) 412-9200 • Fax: (770) 412-9222

Jane L. Fryer17234 Roosevelt Highway, Bldg. B / Greenville, Ga. 30222

J.Fryer@meriwethercountyga.gov / 706/672-3467

You can have it all.

n Excellent training through West Ga. Technical College n 35 miles from Atlanta airport n Immediate access to I-85 n Labor draw of over 200,000 n Prime industrial sites n Population 22,000 n Charming lifestyle n Good schools

11. Best Places for the Life Sciences in Metro Atlanta

• Alpharetta• Covington-Newton

County• Fulton County• Marietta• NorcrossAlso receiving votes: Kennesaw; Lawrenceville; Roswell; Smyrna.

12. Best Places for Manufacturing in North Metro Atlanta

• Bartow County• Cherokee County• Cobb County13. Best Places for Manufacturing in East Metro Atlanta

• DeKalb County• Gwinnett County• Newton CountyAlso receiving votes: Rock-dale County

14. Best Places for Manufacturing in South Metro Atlanta

• Fayette County• Henry County• Meriwether County• Spalding CountyAlso receiving votes: Clay-ton County.

15. Best Places for Manufacturing in West Metro Atlanta

• Carroll County• Coweta County• Haralson CountyAlso receiving votes: Paulding.

16. Best Locations in Metro Atlanta for Automotive Suppliers

• Bartow County

• Carroll County• Meriwether County

Also receiving votes: Cherokee County; Coweta County; Fayette County; Gwinnett County; Haralson County.

17. Best Locations in Metro Atlanta for the Aerospace Sector

• Cobb County• Coweta County• Fayette County

Also receiving votes: Bartow County; DeKalb County; Fulton County.

18. Best Industrial Sites in Metro Atlanta

• Highland 75-Bartow County

• Historic Heartland Megasite-Newton County

• Stanton Springs-Newton County

• The Lakes at Green Valley-Spalding County

19. Best Community Colleges in Metro Atlanta for Workforce Training

• Chattahoochee Technical College-Marietta

• Georgia Perimeter College-Decatur

• Gwinnett Technical College-Lawrenceville

Also receiving votes: Southern Crescent Technical College-Griffin.

20. Fastest Growing Counties in Metro Atlanta (2010-2014)

• Forsyth County 16.4 percent• Gwinnett County 9.0 percent• Fulton County 8.2 percent• Cherokee County 7.8 percent

• Griffin-Spalding County was voted one of the best places for manufacturing in South Metro Atlanta. Shown at left is historic downtown Griffin.

Mercedes-Benz is building its new North American headquarters in the Atlanta suburb of Sandy Springs. Pictured is a rendering of the facility.

56 SB&D FALL 2016

What’s stopping you from starting that much needed

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huge pain. And for many it’s just not that big a priority

because you don’t expect much from your website.

Marketing Alliance can help. We build result-

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only focus on one thing: successfully marketing your

region to targeted prospects and leading them to take

action. Let us help you succeed.

Frustrated by not having the time to get started on your marketing website?

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BEST OF ATLANTA

What’s stopping you from starting that much needed

website redesign? You’re probably concerned that it will

take too much time, be too expensive and frankly be a

huge pain. And for many it’s just not that big a priority

because you don’t expect much from your website.

Marketing Alliance can help. We build result-

driven websites that lead to conversions, including

custom interactive maps that illustrate your location and

assets. Our economic development marketing experts

only focus on one thing: successfully marketing your

region to targeted prospects and leading them to take

action. Let us help you succeed.

Frustrated by not having the time to get started on your marketing website?

www.marketingallianceinc.com

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MA_WebsitesAd_fullPage_final.indd 1 9/2/16 1:47 PM

DALLAS-Best of Economic Development in

FORT WORTH• SouthlakeAlso receiving votes: Aledo; Coppell; Flower Mound; Frisco; Highland Park; High-land Village; Irving; McKin-ney; Parker; Prosper; Trophy Club; University Park.

5. Best School Districts in Metro Dallas-Fort Worth

• Carroll Independent School District

• Frisco Independent School District

• Highland Park Independent School District

• Plano Independent School District

Also receiving votes: Aledo Independent School District; Allen Independent School District; Colleyville; Coppell Independent School District; Prosper Independent School District.

6. Best Places for Headquarter Operations in Metro Dallas-Fort Worth

• Frisco• Irving• PlanoAlso receiving votes: Allen; Carrollton; Dallas; Farmers Branch; Fort Worth; Grape-vine; McKinney; Richardson.

7. Best Places for Startups in Metro Dallas-Fort Worth

• Addison

• Arlington• Fort Worth• IrvingAlso receiving votes: Dallas; Farmers Branch; Frisco; Plano; McKinney.

8. Best Places for Distribution Centers in Metro Dallas-Fort Worth

• Coppell• Dallas• Fort WorthAlso receiving votes: Lewis-ville; Midlothian.

9. Best Places for Call Centers in Metro Dallas-Fort Worth

• Dallas• Irving• Plano• RichardsonAlso receiving votes: Arling-ton; Carrollton; Lewisville.

10. Best Places for the Life Sciences in Metro Dallas-Fort Worth

• Dallas• Fort Worth • IrvingAlso receiving votes: Arling-ton; Frisco; Lewisville; Plano.

11. Best Places for Manufacturing in Central Metro Dallas-Fort Worth

• Dallas• Fort Worth

• Grand PrairieAlso receiving votes: Arlington; Euless; Grape-vine; Irving.

12. Best Places for Manufacturing in North Metro Dallas-Fort Worth

• Denton• Lewisville• McKinney• Plano• RichardsonAlso receiving votes: Allen; Carrollton; Coppell; Flower Mound.

13. Best Places for Manufacturing in East Metro Dallas-Fort Worth

• Garland• Greenville• Mesquite• TerrellAlso receiving votes: Rowl-ett; Seagoville; Sunnyvale.

14. Best Places for Manufacturing in South Metro Dallas-Fort Worth

• Ennis• Mansfield• Midlothian• WaxahachieAlso receiving votes: Cedar Hill; DeSoto; Duncanville; Hutchins; Johnson County; Lancaster.

15. Best Places for Manufacturing in West

1. Dallas-Fort Worth’s Most Important Employers

• American Airlines• AT&T• ExxonMobil• Lockheed Martin

AeronauticsAlso receiving votes: Bank of America; Baylor Health Care System; Dallas Cowboys; Fluor; NAS Fort Worth JRB; Texas Health Resources; Tex-as Instruments; Toyota North America; UT-Southwestern Medical Center.

2. Dallas-Fort Worth’s Most Important New Employers

• Charles Schwab• Liberty Mutual• Raytheon SAS• Toyota North AmericaAlso receiving votes: Core-Logic; GKN Aerostructures; HMS Holdings; State Farm; Trend Micro.

3. Dallas-Fort Worth’s Most Admired Companies

• American Airlines• AT&T• Texas Health ResourcesAlso receiving votes: Baylor Health Care System.

4. Best Places to Live in Metro Dallas-Fort Worth

• Allen• Murphy• Plano

58 SB&D FALL 2016

FORT WORTH

Metro Dallas-Fort Worth

• Parker County• Weatherford• Wise County16. Best Location in Metro Dallas-Fort Worth for Automotive Suppliers

• Arlington• Ennis• Garland• Fort WorthAlso receiving votes: Carrollton; Lancaster; McKinney; Plano.

17. Best Location in Metro Dallas-Fort Worth for the Aerospace Sector

• Euless• Fort Worth• Grand Prairie• IrvingAlso receiving votes: Addison; Arlington; Coppell; Dallas; Flower Mound; Grapevine; Greenville; Plano; Richardson.

18. Best Industrial Sites in Metro Dallas-Fort Worth

• Alliance Texas-Fort Worth• Great Southwest Industrial

Park-Grand Prairie-Arlington• Southport Logistics Park-Dallas

County• Westpark Industrial Park-

Denton Also receiving votes: CentrePort Business Park; Valwood Business Park.

19. Best Community Colleges in Metro Dallas-Fort Worth for Workforce Training

• El Centro College-Dallas• Richland College-Dallas• Tarrant County College-Fort

WorthAlso receiving votes: Brookhaven College.

20. Fastest Growing Counties in Metro Dallas-Fort Worth (2010-2014)

• Denton County 13.7 percent• Collin County 13.2 percent• Rockwall County 12.1 percent

FALL 2016 SB&D 59

AT&T has decided to renovate its downtown Dallas headquarters (shown at right) into an “urban tech

center” at the cost of hundreds of millions of dollars. The company was named one of Metro Dallas-Fort Worth’s most important companies.

Liberty Mutual is building a new campus in Plano, Texas that will house 5,000 employees (shown below). Plano was voted one of the best places to live and one of the best places for headquarter operations in Metro Dallas-Fort Worth.

The Texas Rangers recently introduced Texas Live!, a $1.25 billion stadium and mixed-use district being built near the new Texas Rangers Ballpark and AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Arlington was named one of the best places for startups in metro Dallas-Fort Worth.

Lockheed Martin was named one of metro Dallas-Fort Worth’s most important employers. The company assembles the F-35 in Fort Worth, which was also named one of the best places for distribution centers and startups in metro Dallas-Fort Worth.

CONTINUED

Best of Economic Development inHOUSTON

60 SB&D FALL 2016

1. Houston’s Most Important Employers

• Phillips 66• Port of Houston• Sysco• The University of Texas

MD Anderson Cancer Center

Also receiving votes: Baker Hughes; Conoco Phillips; ExxonMobil; Halliburton.

2. Houston’s Most Important New Employers

• ExxonMobil• Mitsubishi Heavy

Industries • Occidental Petroleum Also receiving votes: Direct Energy; SABIC; Waste Con-nections.

3. Houston’s Most Admired Companies

• Phillips 66

• Schlumberger• SyscoAlso receiving votes: Kinder Morgan; Memorial Hermann Health System; Texas Medi-cal Center.

4. Best Places to Live in Metro Houston

• Cinco Ranch-Fort Bend County

• Sugar Land-Fort Bend County

• The Woodlands-Montgomery County

Also receiving votes: El Lago; Friendswood; Ful-shear; Katy; League City; Meadows Place; New Ter-ritory; Pearland; Richmond; Seabrook; Stafford; Taylor Lake Village.

5. Best Places in Houston for Creatives

• East End• Heights• Midtown• Montrose

Also receiving votes: Garden Oaks; Oak Forest; Pearland; West University.

6. Best Public School Systems in Metro Houston

• Friendswood Independent School District-Galveston/Harris Counties

• Katy Independent School District-Fort Bend County

• Pearland Independent School District-Brazoria County

The MD Anderson Cancer

Center in Houston was

named one of Metro

Houston’s most important

employers.

BEST OF HOUSTON

62 SB&D FALL 2016

Also receiving votes: Clear Creek Independent School District; Conroe Independent School District; Humble In-dependent School District.

7. Best Places for Headquarter Operations in Metro Houston

• Energy Corridor• Greenspoint• Sugar Land• The WoodlandsAlso receiving votes: Down-town Houston; Northwest Harris County; Westchase District.

8. Best Places for Startups in Metro Houston

• Houston Technology Center

• Rice Alliance• RED LabsAlso receiving votes: Surge Accelerator.

9. Best Places to Start a Business in Metro Houston’s Suburbs

• Katy• League City

• Stafford• Sugar Land• WebsterAlso receiving votes: Deer Park; The Woodlands.

10. Best Places for the Life Sciences in Metro Houston

• Houston• Pearland • Sugar Land• The WoodlandsAlso receiving votes: Con-roe; Friendswood; Stafford.

11. Best Large Blocks of Class A Office Space in Metro Houston

• Downtown Houston• Energy Corridor• Greenspoint12. Best Places for Distribution Centers in Metro Houston

• Baytown• Cedar Port Industrial Park• Cypress• KatyAlso receiving votes: Conroe; Houston; Humble;

Northwest Houston

13. Best Small Town Manufacturing Workforces in Metro Houston

• Baytown• La Porte• PasadenaAlso receiving votes: Free-port; Texas City.

14. Best Places for Manufacturing in the North Houston Region

• Conroe• The Woodlands• Tomball15. Best Places for Manufacturing in the East Houston Region

• Baytown• La Porte• Pasadena16. Best Places for Manufacturing in the South Houston Region

• Angleton• Brazoria County• Freeport• Pearland

17. Best Places for Manufacturing in the West Houston Region

• Katy• Rosenberg• Sealy

18. Best Industrial/Flex Sites in Metro Houston

• AmeriPort Industrial Park-Chambers County

• Generation Park-Harris County

• Cedar Port Industrial Park-Chambers County

19. Best Community Colleges in Metro Houston for Workforce Training

• Houston Community College

• Lone Star College• San Jacinto College

20. Fastest Growing Counties in Metro Houston (2010-2014)

• Fort Bend County 17 percent• Harris County 11 percent• Brazoria County 8.1 percent

Sugar Land was named one of best places to live, best places for headquarter operations and best places for

the life sciences in Metro Houston. Sugar Land was “the center of the sugar industry from Texas colonial days

and the site of the first sugar refinery in Texas located by S.M. Williams on land granted to him by the Mexican

government.”

The Port of Houston (top right) was also named one of Metro Houston’s most important employers.

The Woodlands (right) was named one of best places to live, best places for headquarter operations and best

places for the life sciences in Metro Houston.

www.EDPARTNERSHIP.net

HEADQUARTERSWhere

The Woodlands, Texas

CORPORATEThrive

Best of Economic Development inTAMPA BAY1. Tampa Bay’s Most Important Employers

• Jabil Circuit • MacDill Air Force Base • Publix Super Markets• Raymond James FinancialAlso receiving votes: Health-Plan Holdings; Humana; JP Morgan & Chase; Raytheon; Sykes Enterprises; Tech Data; University of South Florida; Verizon; USAA.

2. Tampa Bay’s Most Important New Employers

• Air Products and Chemicals

• Amazon• Citigroup• North American RoofingAlso receiving votes: Bristol Myers Squibb; Covidien; Feld Entertainment; GE; Lockheed Martin.

3. Tampa Bay’s Most Admired Companies

• Jabil Circuit • Publix Super Markets• Sykes Enterprises4. Best Places to Live in Tampa

• Davis Island • Hyde Park • New Tampa • WestChaseAlso receiving votes: Bayshore Beautiful; Fish Hawk; Parkland Estates; Pebble Creek; SoHo.

5. Best Places to Live in St. Pete-Clearwater

• Downtown St. Pete• Palm Harbor• Seminole Also receiving votes: Dune-din; Gulfport; Old North-east; Safety Harbor.

6. Best Places for Headquarter Operations in Tampa Bay

• Downtown Tampa• Gateway-St. Pete• I-75 Corridor-Manatee

and Sarasota Counties• Westshore-TampaAlso receiving votes: Down-town St. Pete.

7. Best Places for Financial Services Companies in Tampa Bay

• Downtown Tampa• New Tampa• St. Pete• Westshore-TampaAlso receiving votes: Sarasota.

Publix Super Markets is one of the largest food retailers

in the South. Pictured below is the company’s

headquarters in Lakeland, Fla. Publix was named one of metro Tampa Bay’s most

important and admired companies.

64 SB&D FALL 2016

With over 15,000 employees,

MacDill Air Force Base was named

one of metro Tampa Bay’s

most important employers.

CONTINUED

CityofNorthPort.com

A C H I E V E A N Y T H I N G

Best Place for Manufacturingin Tampa Bay

“A great bene�t of being in North Port is our ability to recruit talent to an area where they would want to live. With the quality of life being so important to people these days, it helps when your facility is in a great location such as North Port.”

Je�rey King, PresidentKing Plastic Corporation

66 SB&D FALL 2016

Bradenton; Largo; Pasco County.

11. Best Places for the Life Sciences in Tampa Bay

• Bradenton• Sarasota County• St. Pete-Pinellas County• Tampa-Hillsborough

CountyAlso receiving votes: Pasco County.

12. Best Places for Manufacturing in North Tampa Bay

• Citrus County• Hernando County• Pasco CountyAlso receiving votes: Brooksville.

13. Best Places for Manufacturing in South Tampa Bay

• Manatee County• North Port• Sarasota CountyAlso receiving votes: Ruskin.

14. Best Places for Manufacturing in East Tampa Bay

• Haines City

• Lakeland• Winter Haven

Also receiving votes: Auburndale.

15. Best Small Towns in Tampa Bay

• Bradenton• Brooksville• Dunedin• Safety Harbor

Also receiving votes: Dade City; Gulfport; Lutz; New Port Richey; Oldsmar; Palm Harbor; Plant City; Tarpon Springs; Zephyrhills.

16. Best Locations in Tampa Bay for Aerospace

• Hernando County• Hillsborough County• Pinellas County• Sarasota County

Also receiving votes: Pasco County.

17. Best Locations for Office Campuses in Tampa Bay

• Sabal Park• Sarasota County• Wesley Chapel

Also receiving votes: Bran-don; Manatee County.

18. Best Industrial Sites in Tampa Bay

• Interstate Commerce Park-Lakeland

• Lakeland Industrial Center

• Lakeside Station-Plant City

• South Shore Corporate Park-Ruskin

Also receiving votes: Cross-roads Commerce Park; Four Corners Business Park; Tampa East Industrial Park.

19. Best Community Colleges in Tampa Bay for Workforce Training

• Hillsborough Community College-Tampa

• Pasco-Hernando Community College-New Port Richey

• Polk State College-Winter Haven

• State College of Florida-Bradenton

20. Fastest Growing Counties in Tampa Bay (2010-2014)

• Manatee County 9.0 percent• Hillsborough Co. 7.1 percent• Polk County 5.4 percent J

Downtown Tampa as voted one of the best places in metro Tampa Bay for headquarters and the financial services sector.

North Port, in Sarasota County, Fla., was named one of the best places for manufacturing in South Tampa Bay. Pictured is King Plastic, one of the largest manufacturers in North Port.

8. Best Places for Startups in Tampa Bay

• St. Pete Innovation District

• Tampa Bay WaVE – Tampa

• The Hub – Sarasota• USF Tampa Bay

Technology Incubator – Tampa

Also receiving votes: Health-box; Spark Growth; Tampa Bay Innovation Center – St. Pete.

9. Best Places for Distribution Centers in Tampa Bay

• I-75 Corridor-Manatee and Sarasota Counties

• Plant City• Polk County• Tampa EastsideAlso receiving votes: Pasco County.

10. Best Places for Call Centers in Tampa Bay

• Clearwater• Lakeland• St. Petersburg• Tampa Also receiving votes:

BEST OF TAMPA BAY