Colorado Springs' efforts to retain the US Olympic Committee reflect a national trend where communities are finding it increasingly challenging – and expensive – to keep some of their marquee companies in town. Here’s a sampling of recent business retention opportunities. In Tacoma, Washington, leaders were faced with retaining the largest employer in downtown Tacoma while other communities including nearby Seattle made their own pitches for the firm. Russell Investment Group, a global financial services firm, currently employs 1,100 people and plans to consolidate operations in a new headquarters facility. To date, officials have assembled a $148 million incentive package that includes the elimination of occupation taxes and $66 million in infrastructure for a new downtown business district. Officials in Washington D.C. are celebrating the decision by National Public Radio (NPR) to build a new headquarters in the District. The celebration comes with a price: property tax breaks worth $40 million over 20 years. In 2007, a $50 million incentive package was instrumental in keeping 2,000 jobs and the headquarters of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company in Akron OH. Now, local and state officials are assembling an incentive package to retain the Akron technical center which employs 629 workers. The proposed package includes $68 million in direct and indirect incentives including construction of a new research facility. For more information go to The Retention Monthly at www.retentionmonthly.com.

Despite some challenges to our competitive advantage, Colorado Springs and Colorado continue to receive positive national rankings. Colorado Springs was recently ranked 10^th Smartest Metro according to a recent study by bizjournals. The study’s objective was to identify those markets with the strongest collective brain power, as indicated by their residents’ educational attainment.