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A global approach

Focus: Atlanta speaks with Governor Nathan Deal, State of Georgia

“One of Georgia’s greatest economic development assets is global accessibility,” Governor Nathan Deal tells Capital Analytics.

With the busiest airport in the world by passengers, the Center for Disease Control and a film industry producing global box-office hits, Georgia truly has an international impact. The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport saw more than 100 million passengers in 2016, and with almost 3,000 flights arriving and departing both nationally and internationally per day it is easy to understand its popularity.

In a recent interview for Focus: Atlanta, Governor of Georgia, Nathan Deal, was keen to emphasize the impact that logistics has on the economy of the state. “One of Georgia’s greatest economic development assets is global accessibility with our interconnected highways and waterways, creating the ideal location for innovative companies to thrive,” he told Capital Analytics. “We’ve taken advantage of a strategic location on the Southeastern corner of the nation to become a global hub for trade with the fourth busiest port in the nation, the busiest airport in the world and two Class I rail lines.”

Governor Deal answered questions on a number of key topics for the first edition of Focus: Atlanta, which is a series of fully comprehensive guides covering the crucial economic sectors of the Atlanta area. As well as pointing out the crucial role Georgia ports and transit systems play, he was keen to mention how its cultural attractions also create a significant draw across the world.

The silver screen

“Our growing film and music industries contributed significantly to the rise in tourism. In fact, Georgia ranked first in feature film production in 2016, surpassing California and New York for the first time, with 17 of the 100 top grossing feature films produced in our state. The 245 film and television productions shot in Georgia in 2016 represented $2.02 billion in direct spending in the state with an economic impact of over $7 billion.“

Spiderman: Homecoming and Baby Driver, both top-10 box office draws at the time of writing, were shot in Atlanta. With the Marvel Cinematic Universe mostly filmed at the city’s Pinewood Studios, Georgia has the potential to take one of the biggest shares of cinematic receipts in 2017.

Global frontrunner

The internationalist approach is an important characteristic of many businesses native to the state, as well as a growing number of multinationals, such as Porsche taking root in Georgia. This attitude is reflected by leaders both on city and state levels, and one that continues to translate into economic success.

As Deal told Capital Analytics, “Georgia’s 2016 trade numbers reinforce the state’s position as a front-runner in the global economy and as a leader in international trade. In 2016, total trade between Georgia and the world exceeded $121.7 billion, and exports surpassed $35.5 billion. As a matter of fact, companies in 95 percent of Georgia counties are active in international trade.

As a global leader in the marketplace, companies, site selectors and visitors often say that what makes Georgia stand out is the experience and totality of attractive assets we offer. With the support of our statewide economic development partners, we provide an all-encompassing experience that cannot be found anywhere else.”

Governor Deal’s interview will open Focus: Atlanta, the greater metro area’s first and only comprehensive investment guide, which covers a range of economic sectors from real estate and finance to education, technology and sports. The publication has been compiled from more than 200 meetings with executives from major Atlanta firms as well as governmental representatives.

To read more about the State of Georgia, visit http://www.investgeorgia.net/

Mayor Reed talks about Atlanta growth

Setting the scene for investment, Focus: Atlanta speaks with Mayor Kasim Reed, City of Atlanta

“I want Atlanta to be comfortably and authentically referenced as one of the best cities in the world.” Mayor Reed tells Capital Analytics.

Atlanta added more than 90,000 people to its population between in 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and there are no signs of this slowing down. With a change of around 500,000 between April 2010 and July 2016 up to nearly 5.8 million, according to figures released in the first half of 2017, Atlanta is the fourth-quickest growing metropolitan area with only New York City, Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston in front.

What is even more crucial is that this growth of population is driven by employment. On the one hand, major companies such as international automotive giant Porsche and U.S. financial services group State Farm have relocated to take advantage of the superior international links and the skilled workforce. On the other, young professionals are flooding the area, chasing after quality tech jobs in a place that, unlike competitors such as New York, will not break the bank.  

Mayor of Atlanta, Kasim Reed has been a driving force behind Atlanta’s recent growth. Speaking to Capital Analytics in June 2017 said “Atlanta is one of the leading cities in attracting young talent.” The meeting was in preparation for the launch of Focus: Atlanta, Capital Analytics first publication in a series of fully comprehensive guides covering the crucial economic sectors of the Atlanta area.

He also highlighted the international nature of the city. “We also have one of the fastest growing foreign populations and the second largest foreign-born population, by percentage, on the eastern seaboard. We are becoming authentically diverse. A disproportionate number of those foreign-born citizens are entrepreneurs, so that makes our overall economy more dynamic.”

NCR is another major corporation in Atlanta, and in 2016 announced new headquarters at Technology Square, near the Georgia Institute of Technology. “The $300-million NCR campus being built, with 5,000 jobs moving into the city, is the single largest job move into Atlanta in 40 years. Average salaries will be in excess of $67,000 per year. The economic impact on the city will be more than $1 billion per year,” Reed told Capital Analytics

Reed also expressed the need for further investment into the city. “The expansion of our public transportation system is the largest for 40 years. We have the ninth-largest system in the U.S. and are expanding that in hopes that we can connect to Emory University, the Center for Disease Control and the Children’s Hospital. That is the largest job corridor without rail connectivity. The $6-billion capital program at the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport is about us looking to the future. Delta Airlines signed an agreement for 20 years, meaning that the airport will probably stay the number one airport in the world for some time to come.”

Finally, Reed expressed his hopes for the future of Atlanta. “I want the city to be in the strongest financial condition that it has been in the past 50 years. We have a strong AA+ credit, the largest cash reserves that the city has had in its history, eight years without ever raising property taxes, the largest police force in the history of Atlanta and crime at 40-year lows. I want Atlanta to be comfortably and authentically referenced as one of the best cities in the world. We are setting the scene for that.”

Mayor Reed’s interview will open Focus: Atlanta, the greater metro area’s first and only comprehensive investment guide, which covers a range of economic sectors from real estate and finance to education, technology and sports. The publication has been compiled from more than 200 meetings with executives from major Atlanta firms as well as governmental representatives.

To read more about the City of Atlanta, visit their website at: https://www.atlantaga.gov/

Capital Analytics Lights up Atlanta

Focus: Atlanta to highlight economic opportunities in the greater metro area

 April 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ATLANTA – Media company Capital Analytics has begun work on Focus: Atlanta, the first publication outside of its home state of Florida. Focus: Atlanta will be the first in an annual series of business reports featuring comments from key industry leaders across Atlanta’s economic spectrum, including heads of major companies and influential institutions.

Focus: Atlanta will highlight key stories of the Greater Atlanta Metro Area’s economy including the growth of technology companies, the entrance of Fortune 500 companies and infrastructure development in community improvement districts. It will include in-depth analysis on all the main sectors of Atlanta such as healthcare, bioscience, higher education, technology, finance, hospitality, logistics and film, music and broadcast media production.

Currently in its third year of publishing the highly praised Invest: Miami, Capital Analytics made the decision to build up its success and move into the Atlanta market because of the substantial opportunities being offered by the city. The publication is being produced in partnership with the development authority, Invest Atlanta, and with the full support of Kasim Reed, Mayor of Atlanta.

“Focus: Atlanta 2017 will inform global investors, entrepreneurs and businesspeople of the professional opportunities available in Atlanta, while also highlighting and promoting Atlanta as a great place to do business,” Mayor Reed, said about the publication.

“What we are hearing from companies is that they want to go to a place that is vibrant and exciting because the workforce and the attraction of the right workforce has taken a much higher priority. When they make decisions about where to go they are always thinking about their business and return on investment. For their workforce, they want to make sure that the place is of quality, where individuals can buy a home, go to good schools, and have the great amenities of a city. Atlanta really offers all of that.” Eloisa Klementich, president and CEO of Invest Atlanta told Capital Analytics.

The Capital Analytics team started work on Focus: Atlanta in March 2017, and have already spoken to many high-profile executives and leaders of key organizations in the area. It will be Atlanta’s first and most comprehensive report on its dynamic business climate.

“There is a real drive in Atlanta for innovation and development in this vibrant economic environment. We have found that is translating into enthusiasm for our upcoming publication Focus: Atlanta, which promises to be the most comprehensive business and investment guide published about this exciting city,” said Alex Mazonowicz, managing editor of Capital Analytics.

“I don’t believe there is any other city that has the same spirit of multi-faceted entrepreneurship and community. The entrepreneurialism in Atlanta involves business, community, seniors and kids alike. Atlanta’s uniqueness lies in its collection of different neighborhoods with different personalities.” Faye Di Massimo, general manager of Renew Atlanta, told Capital Analytics.

Capital Analytics produces in-depth business intelligence with a focus on providing comprehensive investment knowledge
on markets within the U.S. to the domestic and global business community in the annual economic report series. Over a six-month research period, it meets with more than 200 top political, commercial and industry leaders to deliver targeted information, in-depth analysis and strategic advice to the global business community on economic trends and investment opportunities.

Its first publication, Invest: Miami, has a global readership and includes among its readers’ top executives working in real estate, finance, technology, trade and logistics, health, hospitality and others. Books are distributed locally, nationally and globally to trade and investment boards, executives of Fortune 500 companies, institutional investors, consulates and embassies, hedge funds, leading chambers and associations, as well as high-level summits and conferences.

For more information contact Abby Melone  amelone@capitalaa.com TEL: 305-523-9708