© Photo by Scott Fischer
© Photo by Scott Fischer
Why Tri-Cities?
The Tri-Cities, Washington: What's the Same?
- Affordable homes and land, low cost of living
- Family-oriented
- Short commutes
- Brainy people (More scientists and engineers per capita than Seattle/King County)
- The river
- Hydroplanes (virtual reality; requires QuickTime to view)
- Sun! (306 days avg.)
- The Spudnut Shop (Est. 1948)
What's Different?
- Population (222,000)
- Access (four-lane freeways to Spokane, Seattle, Portland, and Boise)
- Riverfront development
- Tourism and wineries (65 wineries in a 50-mile radius)
- Hanford Reach National Monument Visitor and Heritage Center ($48M structure at Columbia Point; design under way)
- Toyota Center and Toyota Arena
- Amazon.com customer service center, Kennewick, one of three nationwide
- Professional sports teams (Tri-City Americans, Tri-City Dust Devils, Tri-Cities Fever
- Evolving into a less Hanford-dependent economy (290 tech businesses)
- Columbia Investor Group (accredited angel investors in the greater Tri-Cities area; part of the Washington Technology Center Angel Network)
Rankings
- Best Place for Business in the state, 2005
- #1 Most Secure Place to Live nationwide, 2005
- 7th in Best Performing Small Cities Index, based on job growth
- 9th in Top 171 Small Cities for Entrepreneurs nationwide, 2005
- 37th in America's 50 Hottest Cities for business expansion, 2005
- 8th in Washington State, Biopharmaceutical Innovation Index, 2004 (Milken Institute)
- Tri-Cities Index of Innovation and Technology, 2004
