KENTUCKY RANKS 10th IN NATION FOR NUMBER OF NEW AND EXPANDING

INDUSTRY PROJECTS IN 2007

Nine Kentucky communities also recognized for industry activity

FRANKFORT , KY (March 2008). –  The Bluegrass State made it again: The Annual Governor’s Cup of the Site Selection Magazine is ranking Kentucky 10th  in the nation for new and expanded industry activity in 2007 – and with the smallest population of any state ranked in the Top 10.  

“We are proud to finish as one of the top ten in the nation for business expansion activity,” said Economic Development Cabinet Secretary John Hindman.   “This ranking shows just how competitive Kentucky is in expanding our industrial base and validates our evolving strategic approach to identify and target economic opportunities.”

During 2007, Kentucky generated 199 projects that met the database requirements.   In total, 316 location or expansion announcements were reported in Kentucky resulting in 13,371 net new jobs created.   Investment was estimated at more than $2.3 billion.  

 “This Top 10 finish in 2007 will make Kentucky ’s economic development successes that much more visible to the corporate site location community worldwide.”

In addition to the Governor’s Cup, three Kentucky metro areas are recognized in their respective categories for the number of industry location and expansion projects.   For metro areas with populations over 1 million, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky/Middletown, OH/KY./IN finished second with 111 qualifying projects.   Lexington-Fayette County tied for 10th  place with 22 projects in the second tier of metros, comprising those with populations between 200,000 and 1 million.   Bowling Green tied for sixth place with nine projects in the third tier of metros, those with a population between 50,000 and 200,000.

A total of six smaller Kentucky communities also fair well in the magazine’s Top Micropolitan Ranking.   Glasgow , Paducah , Danville , Frankfort , Madisonville and Mayfield made the 2007 Top Micropolitan list, giving Kentucky a fifth place ranking for most top micros.

The article and rankings can be viewed in their entirety at www.siteselection.com