National Real Estate Conference and NC Rail Meeting Update

Over the past two weeks I have been on the road learning more about national real estate trends and NC rail. Both are critical components to the future of Charlotte USA and our sustainable economic development future. Both require comprehensive planning, strong public policy support and future financial commitments.

National Real Estate Conference:

Ronnie Bryant and I attended the IAMC spring conference in Colorado Springs April 25 - 28 and were provided with great updates on national real estate trends. This event brought together heads of corporate real estate, national service providers, and local and state economic developers to establish new relationships and reaffirm existing ties. Speakers were somewhat optimistic about the future of industrial and commercial real estate in the US. Although it was emphasized that very few new buildings will be built speculatively in the next couple years since there will be good absorption of the vast volumes of existing space, especially good class A space. More corporations will also be analyzing their sustainability plans but will have to work hard to make "greening" of their assets work. Currently it was stated that solar does not pencil out for real estate developments but maybe someday. One last trend to watch is how many corporations begin to decentralize operations. By doing so workers will be working from home offices and thus reducing the demand for office locations. All items to watch and many more.

NC Rail Meeting:

NC Railways had their annual conference in Raleigh this week. In conjunction with CSX, Norfolk Southern, and numerous other short line rail firms there was a great turnout and update on how rail plays a critical role in transportation, economic development, energy savings, and safety. Over all I can say that NC is a leader in rail planning and investing. All railways are making significant investments that keep us safer, more economically viable, and environmentally focused. Federal monies are secured to the tune of over $520 million to improve track between Raleigh and Charlotte for improved passenger rail service. New train station developments and upgrades are also planned across NC including Charlotte. Estimates are that by 2017 the travel time should be 2 hours and 15 minutes. This is significantly down from over 3 hours now in 2010.

During the Raleigh event McCallum Sweeney Consultants awarded top rail sites in NC to a number of counties. In our 12 North Carolina counties we are proud to say that Alexander, Catawba, Iredell - Statesville and Iredell - Mooresville received top site certifications. This means that these are recognized sites for quality, ready-to-go rail projects. We will leverage these sites along with all of our other rail served assets.

Our 16 county region has a strong market. Our location is accessible, the business climate is competitive, and the quality of life is attractive. Combine all of that with quality real estate options and efficient rail service it has the makings for many new development opportunities that will add jobs and investment to our region. We need to support our rail company leadership and real estate practitioners as they do their part to make Charlotte USA the place for business.

Upcoming Events:

- May 18 and 19 CRP Planning Retreat

- May 25th CRP annual luncheon

- May 26 - 27 Trip to Houston and Austin Texas

Canadian Friends and Colorado Opportunities

I returned from the SEUS Canada event held last week in Biloxi, MS with a greater appreciation for the level of interest and exchange between the Southeastern US states and Canadian provinces. Canada is the US's #1 trading partner and we have many reasons to stay in close relationships with each other. Both countries are looked at as leaders in new technologies and commerce. Both countries are very involved in humanitarian and disaster recovery efforts as well as the war on terror. As the conference wrapped up it became more evident that continued dialogue and engagement between the two countries and the various business leaders will continue and needs to continue. The Charlotte USA region is fortuntate to have great relations with Canada. The Consulates in Raleigh, Atlanta and the Honorary Consulate in Charlotte are great resources for us. In 2009 we had 23 Canadian owned businesses operating in our region. These companies represent a variety of sectors including banking and finance, metal working, equipment manufacturing, pulp and paper, logistics, and chemicals. We will continue to focus our efforts on Canada and look to target their markets in the fall of 2010.

My next visit with be to the International Asset Management Council meeting in Colorado Springs, CO. This organization has two major meetings a year and is a great opportunity for CRP to have face-to-face meetings with corporate real estate decision makers. Next week's event will have over 70 top leaders from a variety of companies that represent the food, pharmaceutical, transportation, aerospace, transportation equipment and a variety of other sectors. Myself and Ronnie Bryant our CEO will be working very hard to learn more about what these leaders are experiencing in the area of corporate real estate and how we might be able to assist them with their future opportunities.

Upcoming Events to Be Aware of in Charlotte USA:

- Energy Inc Event - April 23rd
- Charlotte USA - The New Energy Capital Technology Development Goup Mtg - April 26
- Energy Storage Event - May 3-4
- Texas Trip - Week of May 10th
- European Trip - Week of May 10th
- NASCAR Hall of Fame Opening - May 11th
- Race Week - May 22-30

SEUS Canada Event Begins Sunday

I will be off to Biloxi, Mississippi on Sunday to represent the region at the 2010 Southeast US (SEUS) and Canadian Provinces event. The Southeastern United States – Canadian Provinces Alliance (SEUS-CP) is a strategic partnership between states in the southeastern United States and member provinces from Canada. The alliance works to promote trade and investment opportunities between and among its member states and provinces. Member states include Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Member provinces include Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Quebec. Our region has a number of Canadian owned firms such as RBC, Domtar, Genpack, AbitibiBowater and many others. We also have the Honorary Consul Dana Hicks located in our region.

During this years event I will be engaging with business leaders in the Energy, Geospatial technologies, and Advanced Manufacturing sectors. These are key sectors for the Charlotte Region and I look forward to having some good meetings. I will also be visiting with the NC Lieutenant Governor Walter Dalton and SC Governor Mark Sanford. Delegations from both Departments of Commerce will be at this event.

Events like SEUS Canada and the upcoming Industrial Asset Management Council allow the CRP team to connect with key decision makers at one location as well as get updates on national and regional economic activities. I will let you know how both of these event turn out for our region in future blogs.

Upcoming Events to Be Aware of in Charlotte USA:
- April 11 - 13 Friends of North Carolina Consultant Event, Charlotte
- April 23rd "Energy Inc" Event, Ritz Carleton
- April 26th Technology Development Group Meeting, Charlotte USA The New Energy Capital