“The Southern Business & Development rankings confirm our success in creating great economic opportunity for the people of Louisiana,” Governor John Bel Edwards said. “By forming strategic public-private partnerships, by harnessing the capacity of our higher education systems, and by expanding training opportunities throughout our state, Louisiana is a trailblazer in the South for innovation and economic growth.”
Southern Business & Development magazine ranked New Orleans as the number one major market of the year among southern cities with 750,000 to 2.5 million people, in a tie with Nashville.
SB&D ranks economies based on economic development project activity broken down in how many manufacturing and service projects were announced in the region each calendar year.
In a Friday release from New Orleans Business Alliance, 2018 was a banner year for New Orleans paving the way for future growth and prosperity. Citing several major economic development wins including: DXC Technology’s 2,000-job digital transformation center, Accruent’s 350-job technology center, LM Wind Power’s addition of 100 jobs to its NASA Michoud campus, and Dixie Brewing Company’s expansion to New Orleans East as examples of New Orleans business-positive atmosphere.
“The Southern Business & Development rankings validate New Orleans’ role as a regional technology hub,” said Quentin L. Messer, Jr., president & CEO of the New Orleans Business Alliance. “Through partnerships with the City, business community and higher education institutions, we are mobilizing the New Orleans workforce to meet the hiring needs of these employers. As the New Orleans economy continues to diversify, the resulting high-quality jobs have the potential to improve employment opportunities and the quality of life for all New Orleanians. We could not be more excited for the future.”
Within the past year, New Orleans garnered national acclaim having been ranked as a Top Ten Tech Market to Watch by CBRE, #3 City for Young Entrepreneurs by Lending Tree and #3 Lowest Gender Gap for Tech Salaries by SmartAsset.
