Minnesota appears to be leading the nation in the 2012 economic recovery.   This is not an accident as Minneapolis has the ideal combination of factors that make it a great area for high technology businesses such as Data Centers.

Minneapolis is centrally located in the US and is accessible by any means of transportation.  There is a major international airport located just a few minutes from downtown Minneapolis and there is an emerging light rail system that will provide convenient transportation anywhere.   The airport is rated the 15^th busiest airport in the nation yet convenient as it has plenty of flights, but not the overcrowding issues that the larger airports have.  In general, airline costs to fly in and out of Minneapolis are well below the national average.

Data Centers locating in the Minneapolis and St. Paul general area will find a wealth of resources and support for Information technology needs.  Minneapolis –St. Paul ranked 13^th in high tech jobs across the nation with 98,600 jobs (based on 2009 numbers).  Additionally Minneapolis-St. Paul ranks 1^st in electro medical equipment manufacturing employment, 3^rd in control instrumentation manufacturing employment  and 4^th in computer and peripheral equipment manufacturing employment.

Wages for Information Technology Professional tend to be slightly lower in Minneapolis when compared to other IT hot beds such as Detroit, Jacksonville and Seattle.  But the cost of living is lower in Minneapolis when compared with most of the other areas.  In short, a Minneapolis business should have no problem filling IT positions at every level.

Minneapolis has access to some of the best technical schools in America, so any company in Minneapolis can count on a good supply of new talent entering the workforce every year.  Many of these schools work with local companies on intern and research programs.

Minneapolis was ranked as America’s safest city by Forbes.com.  This ranking was not only based on a low crime rate, but also factors such as traffic fatalities, workplace accidents and natural disaster risk.  Minneapolis-St. Paul was also rated #3 for best place to live cheaply.   Minnesota has an abundance of lakes, rivers and resorts and offers some of the most scenic drives n the country.

Minneapolis and St. Paul commercial real estate prices are among the lowest for cities of similar size. Office rental rates are typically very attractive and there are many parcels of land available for commercial building. Additionally, there are plenty of existing modern commercial buildings available for lease or purchase.

The Minneapolis area is consistently ranked high for business support with access to leading edge research and workforce productivity. Minneapolis is also renowned for its highly stable and affordable utilities. In summary, Minneapolis should be the first location choice for a Data Center.

Minnesota appears to be leading the nation in the 2012 economic recovery. This is not an accident as Minneapolis has the ideal combination of factors that make it a great area for high technology businesses such as Data Centers.