The Danville micropolitan area has been ranked in the top tier of micros for new and expanding business projects by SITE Selection magazine. This area includes Boyle and Lincoln counties.
Out of 581 micropolitans in the U.S., Danville was tied for a rank of No. 86 nationally and was ranked No. 4 in Kentucky. This is not the first time Danville has ranked in the top 100 micropolitan communities in the United States.
“The Danville Micro has sustained a ranking in SITE Selection’s top 100 micro areas for at least the last six years in a row,” said Jody Lassiter, president and CEO of the Danville/Boyle County Economic Development Partnership in a news release. “Merely getting a ranking is not our objective; however, such a prestigious publication’s documentation of our sustained performance over time gives us even more credibility and attention when we market Boyle and Lincoln Counties to our business prospects.”
SITE Selection magazine’s annual Governor’s Cup rankings have placed Kentucky 10th in the nation for new and expanded industry activity in 2012.
SITE Selection, an Atlanta-based publication, has rated the states annually since 1978. The ranking is based on a state’s total number of qualified projects as tracked by Conway Data Inc.’s New Plant database.
Qualified projects include those that meet at least one of three criteria:
- n involve a capital investment of at least $1 million;
- n create 50 or more jobs; or
- n add at least 20,000 square feet of new floor space.
During 2012, Kentucky generated 196 projects that met the above standards for SITE Selection’s Governor’s Cup consideration.
In addition to the Governor’s Cup, SITE Selection recognizes top metropolitan and micropolitan areas for their economic development successes.
Four projects from Boyle and Lincoln counties were submitted for consideration in the rankings. These projects are expected to employ almost 100 people and have generated more than $7.7 million in total investments, including state incentives.
“Matt Belcher, my counterpart in Lincoln County, and I feel strongly that borders only divide us in economic development,” Lassiter said. “We are two closely-linked neighborhoods of one regional community. The Danville Micro gives us even more to offer to our business prospects in workforce, quality of life, and a lower cost of doing business.”
Kentucky ranked fifth in the nation for number of communities making the magazine’s Top Micropolitans list, with 10 communities making the cut. Those communities include:
Frankfort (tied for 23), Glasgow (tied for 23), Paducah (tied for 30), Richmond (tied for 30), Union City (Tenn./Ky.) (tied for 30), Campbellsville (tied for 45), Maysville (tied for 45), Somerset (tied for 45), Danville (tied for 86) and Murray (tied for 86).
SO YOU KNOW
A Micropolitan Statistical Area contains an urban core (Danville) of at least 10,000 but less than 50,000 in population. Each micro area consists of one or more counties, including the county containing the core urban area (Boyle), as well as any adjacent counties (Lincoln) that have a high degree of social and economic integration (as measured by commuting to work) with the urban core.
The article and rankings can be viewed in their entirety at www.siteselection.com.
