In these challenging times, doing business in Binghamton makes more sense than ever. Our region is an easy three hours northwest of midtown Manhattan, situated strategically between Syracuse and Scranton along the bustling I-81 corridor. Binghamton is a haven for high technology. We rank-along with San Jose, Cambridge, and Austin-as one of the strongest areas for innovation in the U.S. We have company clusters in aerospace, software, advanced manufacturing, communications, simulation, distribution and the services. We are home to household name companies like Lockheed Martin, Gannett, Rockwell Collins, IBM, Frito Lay, L-3 Communications and BAE Systems along with a range of smaller firms who like our combination of work and play. We were delighted when Impress, one of the world's leading can makers, announced it would invest $40 million in a new state-of-the-art metal packaging plant in Conklin, just outside Binghamton. The plant will be approximately 100,000 s/f and initially employ 75 people. There are plans for an expansion where employment could eventually be doubled. Emerson Network Power, a business of Emerson, is near completion of a 40,000 s/f headquarters in the Charles St. Business Park in Binghamton. This world-class facility will host visitors from around the world and showcase Emerson Network Power's global-leading technologies in power protection. Fed Ex Ground is expanding in Binghamton. The company has completed a 62,000 s/f package distribution center in the Broome Corporate Park, a few minutes south of the city. This facility will employ more than 90 people both full and part-time. Many regional companies enjoy a strong partnership with Binghamton University, an education powerhouse ranked by Kiplinger's Personal Finance as one of the best values in public colleges anywhere. Governor David Patterson was on campus recently to help the university launch construction on a $66 million Engineering and Science Building. The new building will feature high-tech flexible, research laboratory space, as well as suites for new business startups and offices that support the university's ongoing and expanding industry partnerships. And the Princeton Review has put Binghamton University on its Green Honor Roll making it one of the 11 greenest colleges in the U.S. The Review cites the University's 182-acre nature reserve as well as several research centers focused on the environment. In Binghamton, we like to brag about our quality of life. It means excellent schools, an opera and a symphony, strong minor league baseball and hockey, division 1 athletics, and a fast-growing arts scene. We recently broke ground on the Good Shepherd Village at Endwell, a more than $75 million project funded through the sale of bonds from the Broome County Industrial Development Agency (BCIDA). The project is the first of its kind "fee for service" community with a lower entrance fee, and the monthly fee covers living expenses and access to long-term care services when needed. The annual payroll for the village is anticipated to be $3.3 million. It is estimated the economic impact on Binghamton will be $166 million over the next 30 years. Binghamton's amazing transportation system makes it possible to get to the Adirondacks, the Poconos, and the tremendous fly-fishing along the Delaware River in a matter of hours. And if you like winery tours and tastings we are a short distance from the Finger Lakes, one of the Wine Spectator's emerging wine regions in the world. For more on business in Binghamton, visit the BCIDA's website, www.bcida.com including a searchable property database, an interactive profile of the region, a link to our incentives and programs a link to our 2007 annual report. As quality of life becomes increasingly important to overall business success, we encourage you to consider Binghamton. Patrick Doyle is marketing director for Broome County IDA, Binghamton, N.Y.