Orlando: A World of Opportunity
With Plenty of Room to Grow

Orlando is not only a tourism capital of Florida; it is fast becoming a preferred region for corporate relocation and expansion across all industries.

From high-tech manufacturing and high-end customer support centers, to corporate headquarters and agri-centers, Metro Orlando's industry mix is distinctive and diverse. Recognizing this region's strategic advantages as a hub for global commerce, more and more major employers have a presence there.

Forbes magazine announced that Orlando has been named one of Forbes/Milken Institute's Best Places for Business and Careers. Entrepreneur magazine voted it "best in the nation for entrepreneurs." Yahoo! magazine calls it "one of America's most wired cities."

But it's not all hype. Orlando is centrally located in the Sunshine state, is midway between the Northeastern U.S., Canada, and Latin America, and offers easy accessibility to the Pacific Rim and European markets.

"We have a complete community of mixed industry and all sorts of support services," says Gary Castle, president of Castle Commercial Realty, Inc. "And the multiplicity of industry is growing all the time."

Metro Orlando offers the best in intermodal transportation with an international airport and six regional and general aviation airports. The region features the world's only quadramodal foreign trade zone, interchanging freight among sea, land, air and space.

Two major, full-service freight stations move goods between north and south Atlantic points and offer connections with all major U.S. rail lines. Florida's Turnpike and Interstate 4 intersect in Orlando. The 12.5-mile Osceola Parkway links the international airport to major attractions and a half dozen regional arterial highways.

Orlando also offers a pro-business environment. Florida's taxation system is business-friendly, ranking among the lowest in the U.S. for revenue derived from corporate and personal income tax. There are several private and public business financing tools available to assist businesses with new facilities. Orange County also has Enterprise Zones that provide additional incentives for qualifying companies investing in these zones.

The city affords access to skilled labor and plenty of customers. The metropolitan area's population exceeds 1.5 million with a work force of more than 900,000. The work force is diverse in its talents and among the youngest of Florida's four major metropolitan areas.

The state's public and private schools, community colleges and universities have designed specialized programs - from vocational training to master's and doctoral degrees - to maintain a talented and diverse supply of labor for the future. And adjacent to the University of Central Florida is the Central Florida Research Park, widely recognized as one of the top ten research parks in the world.

Business parks like Orlando Central Park, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Properties, are making Orlando even more attractive. Since it was established in 1963, Orlando Central Park has attracted nearly 400 companies - many of them Fortune 500. AT&T, DaimlerChrysler, Hewlett Packard, BMW, Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company, Darden Restaurants and Wal-Mart are among its tenants.

The park's 5,000 acres were meticulously master planned to accommodate a variety of mixed land uses ranging from offices, research and development, warehouse/distribution, retail and commercial support services and tourist commercial. "Orlando Central Park is the largest business park in central Florida and is located in the center of not only the road system, but also the local community," says Castle. "We have sites that are permitted and ready to be built upon."

And of course Orlando's quality of life is enviable, with sunny weather, pro sports teams, outdoor recreational activities, cultural events, world-famous attractions, and nearby beaches.

For more information about Orlando Central Park, contact Gary Castle at 800-322-1627, send e-mail to j.gary.castle@lmco.com, or visit www.orlandocentralpark.com.