Site Selection Names Omaha – Council Bluffs No. 1 for New and Expanded Corporate Facilities

OMAHA, Neb., March 12, 2018 – It’s an economic win that has become an annual celebration: For the third year in a row, and the fourth time since 2014, Site Selection named Omaha – Council Bluffs No. 1 for new and expanded corporate facilities among areas with populations between 200,000 and 1 million in 2017. 

“This victory belongs to everyone. We’re cheering thanks to the strength of our six-county Economic Development Partnership. It’s a powerful collaboration – one that compels us to achieve daily excellence in the way we know best: together,” said David G. Brown, president and CEO, the Greater Omaha Chamber. “This type of intentional, inventive teamwork means we do more than support the region’s interests, we invent the most inclusive, innovative future we can envision. We’re grateful to be part of a community where great teams make incredible things happen.”

The award, which was presented Monday at the Greater Omaha Chamber by Adam Bruns, managing editor, Site Selection, included analyses that considered such high-growth projects as:

• Facebook – Construction of a new data center in Papillion
• Costco –  Construction of a new poultry processing facility in Fremont resulting in $550M capital investment and 800 new jobs
• Veramaris – A joint venture between Evonik and DSM resulting in a $200M capital investment and 12 new and 130 retained jobs in Blair
• Evolva – Long-term collaboration agreement with Cargill estimated at $60M for the production and commercialization of a new Stevia sweetener and other products at Blair’s biocampus
• Big Ox Energy – A Wisconsin-based byproduct waste recycling provider planning to invest $60 million in a new 70,000-square-foot facility in Blair expected to create at least 45 jobs
• West Broadway Redevelopment – West Broadway Reconstruction project aiming to improve the first impression for those crossing the Missouri River and entering Council Bluffs
• River’s Edge – A Council Bluffs pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use design plan endeavoring to revitalize and invigorate the area by creating a newfound sense of place and community 

“The credit – and the thanks – for this distinction is spread among a lot of individuals and organizations, all focused on the same goal: a business climate where companies can thrive and the economy can keep growing,” said Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert, of Site Selection’s recognition.

That “same-goal” spirit was echoed by representatives of more than 30 communities, many of whom attended a press conference celebrating the win Monday.

“I’d like to thank the Greater Omaha Chamber and Sarpy County Economic Development Corporation for your continued partnership with the City of Papillion,” said Papillion Mayor David P. Black. “Your efforts and continued commitment to economic development are crucial to putting our metro area on the map for major projects – specifically this last year, in our case, Facebook’s Papillion Data Center.”

Jim Timmerman, mayor, Gretna, agreed, “The City of Gretna is proud to be a partner in the Omaha-Council Bluffs area. This recognition shows that by working as a team, we can do great things.” 

Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts, Council Bluffs Mayor Matt Walsh and Fremont Mayor Scott Getzschman offered support and congratulations for the region’s Site Selection achievement Monday, as did Dana Bradford, chairman, 2018 Greater Omaha Chamber board of directors and Dave Rippe, director, Nebraska Department of Economic Development.

Like Omaha – Council Bluffs, the remaining Top Metros for new and expanded corporate facilities in 2017 were repeat winners. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Illinois-Indiana-Wisconsin, was No. 1 among metro areas with populations over 1 million; and Sioux City, Iowa-Nebraska-South Dakota was No. 1 among areas with populations between 50,000 and 200,000.

About the Greater Omaha Chamber Economic Development Partnership

The Greater Omaha Chamber Economic Development Partnership (https://www.omahachamber.org/economic-development/) represents a six-county area from two states (Nebraska and Iowa) that includes Cass, Dodge, Douglas, Pottawattamie, Sarpy and Washington Counties. This seamless regionalized partnership operates as a one-stop, comprehensive resource, driving growth and championing collaboration.

About Site Selection
Site Selection, published by Conway Inc., is the senior publication in the corporate real estate and economic development fields and is the official publication of the Industrial Asset Management Council (IAMC, at www.iamc.org). Site Selection’s yearly analyses are regarded by corporate real estate analysts as “the industry scoreboard.” The magazine’s circulation base consists of 48,000 subscribers, most of whom are involved in corporate site selection decisions at the CEO/President/COO level.

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