Detroit may still be the epicenter of automotive manufacturing but if you need evidence of where the trend in production in North America is headed, look no further than the Southeast United States.

Categories: Deals, Job Creation
Tagged: Argonne National Laboratory, BMW, Ford, Kentucky auto manufacturing, Nissa, South Carolina auto manufacturing, Tennessee auto manufacturing, Toyota, Volkswagen, Volkswagen and Chattanooga',

In the wake of one of the biggest financial crises in history, communities find renewed vigor by focusing on entrepreneurship and innovation.

Categories: Job Creation, Research
Tagged: Akron Ohio, business incubators, business start-ups, Chattanooga Tenn., enterpreneurs, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Johnson City Tenn., Richard Florida, The Great Recession,

A new report from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy fifth-annual State Energy Efficiency Scorecard names Massachusetts as the nation’s most energy-efficient state.

Categories: Research, Sustainability
Tagged: American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, energy, Energy efficiency,

Cities across the U.S. are seeing the potential of riverfront revitalization – not only to enhance livability, but also to spur investment and activity downtown.

Categories: Quality of Life, Research
Tagged: Chattahoochee River, Chattanooga Tenn., Columbus Ga., riverfront revitalization, Waco Texas, water recreation,

When investing in transportation, communities often focus on roads, but some are experimenting with infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians.

Categories: Quality of Life
Tagged: biking, Dalton Georgia, Livability, Minneapolis, Nashville Tennessee, pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation, walking,

BNSF Railway’s Matt Rose says the rail business and the U.S. economy run on parallel tracks. In 2006, the rail business reached a record high. In 2009 – the height of the Great Recession – rail hit an all-time low, losing 26 percent of all units carried. 2010 saw an increase of about 10 percent, and 2011 is tracking about a 5 percent increase, though the econd half of the year has been much slower.

Categories: Research
Tagged: BNSF Railway, Economic development, infrastructure, Matt Rose, Rail, regulations, Texas Economic Development Council, transportation,

Joel Kotkin, author and noted expert on global, economic, political and social trends, sees the prospects of the United States on much better footing than many of our economic rivals. Why? A relatively young demographic base, ample resources and plenty of arable land.

Categories: Job Creation, Research
Tagged: Demographics, Joel Kotkin, Millenials, U.S. population,