The Tampa Bay Economy is Thriving.

Located along Florida's West Coast, Tampa is one of the fastest growing areas of the United States. The four county area (called the metropolitan statistical area) has about 2.5 million people. This makes it the second-largest metropolitan statistical area in the Southeast. Forming the western edge of the Florida high tech corridor, the MSA boasts several developed high tech clusters including nanotechnology, aviation/aerospace, and homeland security/defense. The region recently ranked 12th in the Milken Institute's "Best Performing Cities." This references job performance and sustainability.

There is a large labor force in the Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater area. There are more than 1.3 million individuals that firms may choose from. This large labor force has experienced steady growth during the past ten years, growing by 16%. Of residents 25 or older, more than 85% have at least a high school education, while nearly 25% possess at least a bachelor's degree.

The University of South Florida, which is located in Tampa, is the largest provider of higher education. It has an enrollment of more than 44,000 students. It is the 9th largest University in the nation. It also is ranked as one of the first tier research universities in the nation. It has a center for Robotic Research and Rescue, a center for Ocean Technology, a center for Biological Defense and also the H.Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute.

There are three other Community Colleges in the area as well.

The area possesses a highly developed network of road, air, water and rail transportation. Tampa Internation Airport has 21 airlines that provide service to 50 domestic locations and 7 international locations. The Port of Tampa serves as both a cargo and cruise port and is also a foreign trade zone.

The physical environment attracts many. There are miles of blue waterways and sugar-white shorelines. The skies are almost always sunny. The average annual temperature is 72 degrees.

Downtown Tampa is the region's center. It is about 30 minutes south of Tampa Bay Golf and Country Club. It is about 30 minutes to the Gulf of Mexico and the beaches to the west and about one hour to Disney and Universal Theme parks to the northeast. The city of Tampa is Florida's third largest city with over 300,000 residents.

The population of Tampa and the surrounding area is growing ever younger.

It is no wonder Tampa is ranked as one of the best places to live and work in America. It has a diverse and expanding business mix, a thriving economy, a vibrant job market and a multilingual highly trained work force supported by outstanding educational institutions.

The area has become an ideal headquarters location and has a growing number of corporate headquarters. The area's pro-business environment includes a robust workforce, low business and living costs, top education and training opportunities, solid infrasturcture systems and great weather.

The Tampa area has become a financial services powerhouse with 45,000 jobs paying salaries in excess of $50,000. It has also become a center for manufacturing facilities. The Port of Tampa, Florida's largest port, facilitates distrbution. There are about 600 large and small manufacturers who employ thousands in the area.

The Port of Tampa is a large economic engine for all of West Central Florida. The Port handles nearly 50 million tons of cargo per year and is Florida's largest cargo volume seaport. The 5,000 acre Port is home to more than 250 businesses and has over 22,000 workers. The Port is a full service facility for shipping lines and is the closest major U.S. port to the Panama Canal.

The business climate in Tampa Bay could not be better. In fact, the Bay area's economy is one of the strongest in the country. We boast a healthy mix of businesses, from financial services and bioscience to technology and international trade.

Tampa Bay ranks amoung the best metropolitan areas in the nation for its low cost of living. With no state income tax and low costs of housing, health care and groceries, there's no shortage of people who want to live and work here.