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Courtesy of the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission
#1: Established Technology Cluster: 53,000 People
Strong
FEATURE: The Metro Orlando area boasts a $13.4 billion
technology industry that employs close to 53,000 people.
Top sectors include digital media; modeling, simulation
and training; optics and photonics; aviation/aerospace;
homeland security/defense; financial services technology
(fi-tech); information technology; agritechnology; energy
and alternative fuels; and life science/biotechnology.
Companies also have access to a strong university system
and an environment of technological innovation and infrastructure
supporting the region’s established technology sectors. In
2006, EWeek named Orlando as one of 10 "Blooming
U.S. Cites for Tech.
BENEFIT: An established technology sector means that companies
growing or relocating to the area have immediate access to a
technology ecosystem that has been building since the 1960s.
This includes immediate access to a highly skilled workforce,
university research and development, partnership opportunities,
and organizations and facilities dedicated to helping high tech
companies flourish.
#2: One of the Fastest Growing Economies in the U.S.
FEATURE: Florida's economic engine continues to hum. In
fact, a Torto Wheaton Research study predicted that job
growth in Orlando during the next five years will occur
at the third-fastest rate in the country. The study also
indicates that Orlando has the strongest economy in the
state and is the 13th strongest out of 361 metro areas
in the country. If Florida were a country, it would have
the 15th largest economy in the world and the eighth largest
in the Western Hemisphere.
BENEFIT: Business leaders in Metro Orlando can rest assured
that they are in a region with a solid economic base and room
to grow. This also provides a sense of security that family
members will find plenty of job opportunities in their respective
fields. fDi magazine included the Metro Orlando region
among its prestigious ranking of “North American Cities
of the Future.” The strong economy in Metro Orlando has
also allowed local companies to look at ways of expanding their
options by adding new product lines or services. In
the May 2007 issue of CNN’s Business 2.0 magazine,
Orlando ranks as the #1 location for “America’s
best jobs in the hottest markets.
#3: Access. Access. Access.
FEATURE: With almost 50 million visitors a year, Metro Orlando
is built for easy access. The fourth largest destination airport
in the U.S., proximity to two deep water ports — one
of them the only quadra-modal port in the world — and
extensive road and rail systems connecting the region to the
Southeast United States, truly make Orlando a global connection
point. There is no easier point for access to Europe, North
and South America not to mention the Florida market, which
is the fastest-growing job market in the nation.
BENEFIT: From exporting products to meeting with clients, Metro
Orlando offers businesses the access they need to stay competitive.
#4: "Most Connected" U.S. Metro
FEATURE: Metro Orlando is an international leader in digital
connectivity. The region has been ranked as one of the top
ten “most wired” communities, with 65 percent
of our citizens using broadband connections. Wired magazine
ranks Orlando as one of the nation’s “Top Ten
Tech Towns," citing the area as a great place to “get
your geek on.
BENEFIT: Today’s marketplace is no longer defined by geographic
boundaries. Without virtual and real world connection to other
parts of the world, businesses cannot capitalize on new opportunities.
In Metro Orlando your company will never lack ways or means to
move product, information or people.
#5: Young, Diverse Workforce - One Out of Two People
Have Completed Some College Education
FEATURE: Several studies have found that Metro Orlando’s
population will feature the same ethnic diversity in 2015
that won’t be reached by the rest of the country until
2055. With 25 percent of the region’s population having
completed a bachelor’s degree or higher, and another
30 percent having completed at least some college — it’s
easy to see that Metro Orlando’s employee base is well-educated.
It is also important to note that the region’s median
age is 36, with 64 percent of the population under the age
of 44.
BENEFIT: The diversity of a region’s workforce impacts its
ability to nurture innovative thinking and offer residents a high
quality of life. No matter what level of skill is needed, the regional
workforce is well prepared. Companies also have access to state-sponsored
workforce training grant programs that allow them to keep employees
on the cutting-edge in their respective fields.
#6: Nation's 5th Largest University Anchoring an Extensive
Higher Education System
FEATURE: The University of Central Florida, with over 47,000
students, is now the fifth largest university in the United
States. The University is also home to one of the top Tech
Incubators in the nation and boasts more than $103 million
in annual research dollars, many of which are matched with
company dollars in joint research projects. UCF’s College
of Business Administration has been ranked as one of the largest
business schools in the nation. UCF is only one of more than
35 post- secondary institutions based in the area. This includes
three of the state’s top community colleges, as well
as Rollins College — ranked #1 regional university in
the south and its school of business is ranked #1 in the country — Embry
Riddle Aeronautical University, the Florida A&M University
School of Law, Barry University School of Law, and the first
stateside campus of Puerto Rican-based Ana G. Mendez University.
BENEFIT: Metro Orlando’s strong higher education system provides
companies with a steady flow of highly-trained employees and access
to a variety of research and development opportunities. The many
post-secondary institutions also provide educational programs in
a wide variety of fields. Companies that need employees with specialized
skill-sets can also be confident in the community’s long
history of partnership between educational institutions and business.
#7: One of the Nation's 10 Best Office Markets - Offering
Affordable Options for Almost Any Business
FEATURE: With more than 50 million square feet of space, the
region's office market ranks among the nation's ten best,
according to Viewpoint -Real Estate Travel Trends,
published by Integra Realty Resources, Inc. Total
industrial space in the region exceeds 82.7 million square
feet and is growing, as reported by Real Estate Research
Consultants, Inc. The region also represents a variety
of commercial and industrial real estate options — including
everything from urban space in downtown Orlando to rural land
in Lake and Osceola Counties and everything in between.
BENEFIT: The sheer quantity and diversity of commercial and industrial
property in Metro Orlando means that companies growing in or relocating
to the region are virtually assured the space or land suitable
to their specific needs. The amount of space and current associated
costs are very competitive with other regions around the country — making
Metro Orlando an affordable place for businesses to locate.
#8: Variety of Lifestyle Options - Low Cost of Living
and World-Class Entertainment Options
FEATURE: From rolling hills and orange groves to a downtown
core that boasts $1.8 billion in current development — Metro
Orlando truly offers a variety of lifestyle options that meet
just about everyone’s needs. Long called “The
City Beautiful” — Metro Orlando’s
namesake city is known for its brick-lined streets, green
space and eclectic housing options. Further west and south
are Lake and Osceola counties respectively, which still offer “elbow
room.” Heading north — Seminole
County is a thriving suburban area offering beautiful communities
like Heathrow and Colonial Town Park. All of this comes with
Orlando’s well-known sunshine, closeby beaches, no state
income tax, affordable cost of living, growing list of cultural
options, and world-class entertainment industry.
BENEFIT: Business leaders and employees living in Metro Orlando
not only bring home more of their paycheck thanks to the affordable
cost of living and no state income tax, but also have access to
almost every conceivable lifestyle option. With 50,000 new residents
moving to the region each and every year, the secret is out that
this region is not only a great place to do business, but also
a great place to live.
#9: One of the Nation's Best Locations for Entrepreneurs
FEATURE: From Walt Disney to Glen L. Martin, Metro Orlando
has a long history of entrepreneurial activity. Case
in point: the region has more than 24,000 company start-ups,
and over 31,000 home- based businesses, in 2006. That
number has been consistently growing, thanks to an improved
economy and the presence of facilities such as the Disney
Entrepreneur Center (NEC) — one
of only two such centers in the nation — and
the National Business Incubator Association’s #1
ranked University of Central Florida Technology Incubator.
These factors and more led Bizjournals to rank
the region as #1 for best market for small businesses. Southern
Business & Development’s annual
Top 10 issue named Metro Orlando one of the “Top
10 Places in the South for Emerging Industries.
BENEFIT:
Doing business in an environment where you can “fail
on Friday and start on Monday” is critical to business success
in today’s fast-changing environment. The large number of
start-ups in Metro Orlando is also a testament to a creative and
innovative workforce available to businesses located in the region.
Finally, with facilities like the NEC and Incubator, businesses
can be assured that the region is focused on their success no matter
what their size.
#10: The "Livability" Factor
FEATURE: Year-round, outdoor recreation. Proximity to beaches,
lakes, springs, parks, trails, and fields. World-class entertainment
options. Distinctive neighborhoods. World-class shopping.
(Closets free of winter coats, scarves and gloves!) The region’s
amenities, natural and “man-made”, make Metro
Orlando a great place to work and to live.
BENEFIT: Companies of all types and sizes find that Central Florida’s
unparalleled “livability” enhances employee recruitment
and retention. |
