Columbus, OH – Site Selection magazine announced today that the Columbus Region took the No. 8 spot on the magazine’s ‘Top 10 Metro Areas’ list based on new and expanded facilities in 2016. This is the fifth year in a row that the Columbus Region has been in Site Selection’s ‘Top 10 Metros’ list.
Also for the fifth consecutive year, Ohio’s 515 new projects earned the state the No. 2 spot in Site Selection’s overall Governor’s Cup state ranking – second only to Texas. Ohio also took the third-place spot in the per capita ranking, with Nebraska and Kentucky taking the top one and two spots, respectively.
“We are proud that the Columbus Region has been included among Site Selection’s Top 10 Metro Areas for the fifth year in a row,” said Kenny McDonald, president and chief economic officer, Columbus 2020. “The Columbus Region’s continued presence on this list is a testament to the hard work that our community does to grow and attract companies.”
The Columbus Region earned the ranking among metropolitan areas with populations greater than 1 million, with Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston occupying the top three spots. New facilities and expansions included in the analyses had to meet at least one of the three criteria: involve a capital investment of at least U.S. $1 million, create at least 20 new jobs, or add at least 20,000 square feet of new floor area.
In addition to Columbus, other Ohio cities recognized include Cincinnati, Celina, Dayton, Defiance, Findlay, Portsmouth, Toledo and Wooster.
Site Selection magazine has awarded the Governor’s Cup annually since 1988, based on new and expanded corporate facilities as tracked by the proprietary Conway Projects Database.