Site Selection Magazine ranks Batavia and Genesee County as third top U.S. micropolitan area
Press release:
Site Selection Magazine has again recognized Batavia and Genesee County as among the best micropolitans in the nation for businesses to invest into projects that benefit from the region’s talent, shovel-ready sites, and utility infrastructure.
Batavia and Genesee County ranked third in Site Selection Magazine’s annual rankings of the top micropolitans in the nation for business growth.
This is the 16th consecutive year that Batavia and Genesee County have been recognized as the top micropolitan in the Northeast United States, and the sixth consecutive year the region has been ranked in the top five nationally.
The recognition follows the growth of Genesee County’s food and beverage, warehousing and distribution, and advanced manufacturing industries across sites, including the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park.
“This recognition is due to the hard work of the GCEDC management and staff under the leadership of Steve Hyde,” said Genesee County Economic Development Center Board Chair Paul Battaglia.
“It also is a reflection of the commitment of the GCEDC board members who volunteer their time working for the betterment of our community, and the leadership of the Genesee County Legislature and our community stakeholders.”
Site Selection Magazine’s rankings include all U.S. cities of 10,000 to 50,000 people which cover at least one county. In 2017, the region tied its highest ranking ever, as it climbed to number two among the annual survey of micropolitans across the country.
The national evaluation recognized nine of the GCEDC’s projects in 2019 across several stages of project development. The GCEDC closed on 23 total project wins in 2019, securing $60 million in capital investment and pledges to create 200 new jobs and retain 836 more jobs. The total economic impact across these projects is $156 million.
“Year after year, Genesee County and our many private and public sector partners work collaboratively to achieve our economic development goals, which is why it is such a special honor to be recognized yet again by Site Selection Magazine as a top-three micropolitan in the country,” said Steve Hyde, president and CEO of GCEDC.
“From our shovel-ready sites to our unique location between the Buffalo and Rochester metro markets, our region continues to demonstrate consistent economic growth through job creation and retention.”
Since 2003, the GCEDC has provided similar assistance and incentives for 488 projects which have generated over $1.3 billion in capital investment and the creation and/or retention of approximately 5,663 jobs.
The region is well suited for continued growth, with the availability of middle skills talent – 2.2 million people live and work within an hour of Batavia; expanding shovel-ready sites with additional phases of infrastructure development at the Western New York Science and Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP); and infrastructure, with hydropower enabling projects at an estimated cost of $0.035 per kilowatt hour at the 1,250-acre STAMP megasite.
