Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Wall Street Journal Praises Ogden, Utah


The Wall Street Journal recently spotlighted Ogden as an important business hub and as a success in transforming itself from a railroad town to a recreation industry magnet.  Here is an excerpt from the article on what they had to say:

Ogden, a small city some 40 miles north of the capital, packs a concentrated punch in the outdoor and recreation industry.  Ogden made headlines in 2002, when it hosted events for the Salt Lake City Olympic Games. Those Olympic facilities, along with acres of pristine mountains, canyons and rivers, are the main reason outdoor-apparel and equipment companies have been moving to town: The site offers a perfect spot for testing new products, and it's easily accessible from a nearby airport that supports direct flights to Europe. What's more, business owners say, the growing base of competing companies in the area push each other to design the best equipment.

Utah has a relatively modest share of the industry; the state estimates it's home to about 5% of the outdoor-products firms in the U.S. Still, companies that expanded in or relocated to Utah have created at least 2,550 jobs in the past six years, according to the Economic Development Corporation of Utah.
Industry goliaths get partial credit for the surge in Ogden. Amer Sports Corp., the company behind Wilson, Atomic and other brands, consolidated its U.S. operations in 2007 and moved them to the town. Quality Bicycle Products Inc., a distributor based in Bloomington, Minn., set up its second location in Ogden in 2010.
The creation of jobs has helped support our real estate market and economy during this tough period.  Let us continue to recruit businesses to our city and keep the momentum that has been created.  Go Ogden!


Posted by Jeremy Peterson
Ogden, Utah Real Estate Broker
Mountain Real Estate Companies
801-390-1480

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