TOP TEN REASONS TO DO BUSINESS OR LIVE IN DOWNTOWN ORLANDO
| There’s a reason that Metro Orlando is consistently named among the hottest markets in the nation for business and job growth. In fact, there are many reasons! Here are our top ten for companies located here: |
| 1. Young, Diverse, Educated Workforce |
| Talk about the creative class … Metro Orlando’s population diversity leads the rest of the nation by 35 years. Two-thirds of our residents are under the age of 44, and nearly a third has obtained a college degree. People from all backgrounds and walks of life call Orlando home. |
| 2. Access. Access. Access. |
| With over 55 million visitors a year, Orlando has perfected the art of getting to and from here. The region is home to three international airports, including Orlando International Airport which is the third largest origin & destination airport in the U.S.; proximity to two deep water ports; and extensive road and rail systems that connect here, in the heart of the nation’s fourth most populous state. By 2014, SunRail, the region’s commuter rail system will be operational from Volusia to Orange County. All of that connectivity is invaluable for business. |
| 3. Top Location for Entrepreneurs |
| From Walt Disney to Glen L. Martin, Metro Orlando has a long history of entrepreneurial activity. Unique resources such as the National Entrepreneur Center – one of only two such centers in the nation – and the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program – ranked as one of the top incubators in the nation – help keep this community among top locations for innovative companies and entrepreneurs. |
| 4. Real Estate Variety |
| From ultra-modern high rises in downtown Orlando to undeveloped acres in Lake and Osceola counties and everything in between, Metro Orlando offers a diverse array of commercial and industrial real estate options. This region’s robust inventory includes over 177 million square feet of industrial space and over 102 million square feet of office space. And, unlike many other established business centers, Orlando can still accommodate build-to-suits with a variety of developable land parcels in the region. |
| 5. Tech Industry Hub |
| Known across the globe as a world-class place to visit, it comes as a surprise to many to discover that our region’s second largest industry is technology. In fact, the region boasts a high-tech ecosystem that has been building here since the 1960s, and which today is a strong technology industry of 2,600 companies that employs more than 42,000 people. Top sectors include film and digital media; modeling, simulation and training; optics and photonics; aviation/aerospace; and information technology. With the opening of the UCF College of Medicine and the region’s ‘medical city’, we are also gaining a reputation as a thriving center for the life science and biotechnology industry. |
| 6. Innovation Economy |
| From training systems keeping our soldiers and sailors overseas out of harm’s way, to medical advances in the treatment of diabetes, to software driving financial institutions worldwide … Metro Orlando lives up to its reputation as a place that is “Putting imagination to work.” Groundbreaking research at the University of Central Florida has earned that institution its Top 10 ranking on IEEE’s Patent Scorecard, which ranks technology innovations gained from patents. But this culture of innovation doesn’t stop at UCF … it continues through the region’s modeling, simulation and training companies who perform research for the Department of Defense and into the life sciences industry at places like the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute and M. D. Anderson Cancer Research Institute. In addition, the region is helping to prepare the future workforce through initiatives like the STEM initiative – science, technology, engineering and math; through Florida High Tech Corridor Council’s “tech path” program; and through magnet schools that offer advanced technology based curriculums beginning at area middle and high schools. |
| 7. Nation’s 2nd Largest University |
| The University of Central Florida, with over 60,000 students, is now the second largest university in the United States. The University is also home to one of the nation’s top business incubation programs and receives more than $122 million in annual research dollars, many of which are matched with company dollars in joint research projects. And, the news gets even better; UCF is only one of more than 35 post-secondary institutions based in the area. Also here in Central Florida are Rollins College – ranked #1 regional university in the south and #1 MBA program in the state; and three of the state’s best in the growing state/community college system – Valencia College (named the nation’s top community college), Lake-Sumter Community College, and Seminole State College; as well as Full Sail University, 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. |
| 8. Great Neighborhoods |
| From rolling hills and lakeside lots to a downtown core that boasts $1.8 billion in new residential 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” and are committed to preserving those environments. Heading north, Seminole County is a thriving suburban area offering beautiful communities, including two of Money magazine’s top 100 places to live – Lake Mary and Oviedo. |
| 9. Partnership Philosophy |
| Orlando is a young, welcoming community. Many newcomers to the region are surprised at how fast they become “plugged in” to the community. Business leaders and elected officials have time and again proven their willingness to work together for the greater good of the entire region, whether the shared goal be commuter rail, a College of Medicine, or a Performing Arts Center. In fact, there’s even a regional approach to economic development as the Metro Orlando EDC serves Orange, Seminole, Lake and Osceola counties and the City of Orlando. |
| 10. The “Livability” Factor |
| Year-round sunshine. Outdoor recreation. Proximity to beaches, lakes, springs, parks, trails, and fields. World-class entertainment. 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. |
