Greater Omaha-Council Bluffs Again Rank Number One in Top Metros
The Greater Omaha Chamber (www.omahachamber.org) and the Chamber-led Greater Omaha Economic Development Partnership are celebrating the power of collaboration and a renewed top honor for the metro area.
Site Selection magazine has ranked Omaha-Council Bluffs the No. 1 Tier-2 metro area (population between 200,000 – 1 million) for new and expanded corporate projects.
David G. Brown, president and CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber said, “This ranking is the latest example of what it means to accomplish more together: our partner counties collaborating across state lines, working with city leaders and Nebraska and Iowa Departments of Economic Development to grow our existing businesses, attract new companies and new jobs, and enhance our total quality of life.”
Prominent announced projects in Omaha-Council Bluffs in 2015 included:
• Green Plains – New headquarters facility in Aksarben Village
• HDR – New headquarters facility in downtown Omaha
• Kiewit – New Kiewit University in north downtown
• XTL, Inc. – State-of-the-art, $57.2 million cold-storage facility in Council Bluffs
“We’re continually seeing the value of our two-state, regional approach to economic development. It’s how we offer the most options to companies that are interested in locating or expanding here – and the result is a healthy pipeline of projects. The credit – and the thanks – for this top ranking are spread among a lot of individuals and organizations all sharing the same goal: a business climate where companies can thrive and the economy can keep growing,” said Randy Thelen, senior vice president – economic development, Greater Omaha Chamber.
Site Selection magazine is a 60+-year-old national magazine and recognized leader in reporting on corporate real estate strategy and area economic development. The magazine also named the state of Nebraska its runner up for the Governor’s Cup, an award given for the most qualifying new and expanded facilities per capita. Site Selection’s yearly analyses are regarded by corporate real estate analysts as “the industry scoreboard.”