02 Apr Promoting the Rio South Texas Region, COSTEP attends Business Facilities LiveXchange
Rick Carrera, COSTEP Director of Economic Development attended Business Facilities LiveXchange in Virginia this past March as part of COSTEP’s efforts to promote the Rio South Texas Region. The event is two-and-a-half days and focused on gathering business owners, real estate professionals, corporate site selectors, and consultants. It is hosted by Business Facilities magazine, published by Group C Media. Business Facilities is a leading full-service media brand specializing in the site selection marketplace. Through a bi-monthly magazine, e-mail newsletters, a news portal, and its LiveXchange event, Business Facilities has created a dynamic community for C-level executives and economic development organizations.
Attendees to LiveXchange are by invitation only. Invited attendees must prove to have relocation or expansion projects in the works. In exchange, the event provides attendees with the opportunity to find out about incentives and benefits that various states, cities, and utilities are offering to relocating or expanding companies during in-depth one-on-one meetings. Companies can save time and money by meeting with representatives from over 20 different locations, all under one roof. LiveXchange has an Executive Conference Program that focuses on the best strategies to employ when choosing a new location for your business. It also hosts multiple networking events that connect attendees with other executives who are making similar location decisions. Finally, there is no cost for qualified and selected attendees to attend LiveXchange. All qualified attendees receive two nights’ hotel stay at the Omni Richmond Hotel and all meals. A travel stipend is also provided.
COSTEP attended the event as part of the promised representatives from over 20 different locations. Rick Carrera represented the Rio South Texas region from Laredo to Brownsville and all seven counties in between. “The site selectors I met with weren’t entirely familiar with the Rio South Texas region and were impressed with the information I presented to them. Moreover, our meetings led to ways that the region, inclusive of neighboring Mexico, can help companies take full advantage of the region’s assets, location, and workforce,” stated Carrera. His impression of the event, “COSTEP’s goal is to create awareness of the Rio South Texas Region among key decision-makers. The Business Facilities LiveXChange event accomplishes that goal in an extremely efficient manner. Meeting and working with more than two dozen site selection professionals during the event provided exposure in a matter of days that often would require months if not longer. The site selectors present are involved with a variety of industries including automotive, medical device, renewable energy, and advanced manufacturing.”
In executing COSTEP’s program of work, Mr. Carrera has additional plans to attend other national events in efforts to recruit business to Rio South Texas. These efforts are beginning to pay off as the Port of Brownsville just revealed it had its first tenant for its newest industrial park and credited COSTEP as playing a pivotal part. COSTEP, the Council for South Texas Economic Progress is a nongovernmental organization advocating regional economic development for the seven-county region of Rio South Texas. Servicing the counties of Willacy, Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, Jim Hogg, Zapata, and Webb. COSTEP focuses on business recruitment services and provides regional market data to host site selector tours, regional familiarization tours, and area economic development enrichment sessions. To learn more about how you can support our work visit COSTEP.org or contact Adam Gonzalez at agonzalez@costep.org.