Lexington-Fayette Tops Among Mid-Sized Areas for Investment, Talent, Sustainability, Place and Diversity
By Tom Martin, 12.13.11, BizLex.com
Lexington-Fayette County has received another top national economic ranking, its distinctive landscape weighing heavily in the area’s placement high among the nation’s medium-sized markets.
A new ranking measure called the “Fourth Economy Community” (FEC) Index placed Lexington first among top mid-sized counties (population of 150,000 to 300,000). Key criteria included investment, talent, sustainability, place and diversity…
…The top Fourth Economy communities reflected several commonalities, including urban and rural characteristics, a variety of housing and employment opportunities, and strong higher education institutions.
“Many different studies have shown that of comparable cities, we have the most distinctive rural landscape. We’re also unique in that we have very active planning to preserve our farmlands here,” said Nancy Cox, Director of the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station and Associate Dean for Research in the College of Agriculture.
Cox, noting the joint Lexington-Louisville Bluegrass Economic Advancement Movement (BEAM), said many Fayette county landowners believe manufacturing and the region’s rural brand can coexist. “I believe food production and/or valued-added food-related industries certainly might fit into that category. We have encouraged growth of equine pharmaceutical companies and when I hear about the advanced manufacturing initiative in the Louisville-to-Lexington corridor, I think of the horse farms along that corridor and the opportunity to even expand the kinds of industries that support horse health and related businesses,” she said…Read more at BizLex.com
