Clear view: state's attributes attract more business.

• Position: SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Some things on North Carolina's economic-development landscape never seem to change--namely the state's success in attracting high-profile relocations and expansions. But in 2004, that came about at least in part because of something that has changed--the state's reputation as a skinflint. In late 2003, the state adopted a major incentive program, the Job Development Investment Grant.

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Coupled with the state's traditional pitches--central East Coast location, low union membership, low energy costs and low per capita state and local tax rates--the JDIG gave recruiters extra bait last year. They used it effectively, landing some big fish, including a 1,500-employee Dell computer-assembly plant in Winston-Salem, a 900-employee CitiCard call center near Greensboro and a 1,200-employee Verizon Wireless customer-service center in Wilmington.

Much of that work was done at the regional level by the state's seven economic-development partnerships. The partnerships often are the first contact with expanding or moving companies. The final numbers aren't in yet on their 2004 efforts, but with trophies such as Dell, CitiCard and Verizon Wireless, it's safe to say the state experienced a solid year of recruiting.

AdvantageWest North Carolina

Already home to operations of global businesses such as German chemical maker BASF, western North Carolina is betting its future on little players that could transform its business climate in a big way. Dale Carroll, CEO of the 23-county AdvantageWest regional partnership, is excited about the progress made by the Blue Ridge Entrepreneurial Council and its sister group, the Blue Ridge Angel Investors Network. In the first half of 2004, network members studied business plans for 30 startups in fields that included medical devices and security. The focus on emerging companies fits Carroll's vision. "It has given us a shot in the arm for small and medium-sized businesses."

Carroll sees opportunity for the region in pharmaceuticals. "One of the reasons the life-science sector is such a focus for us is that biomanufacturing is very realistic for this area," he says, citing an abundant water supply and workers being retrained for biomanufacturing.

Worker retraining is the business of the region's 11 community colleges. But western North Carolina also boasts universities such as Appalachian State and Western Carolina, which has received a $4.7 million Defense Department grant to test new applications for fiber-optic communications technology. If high-tech is the future of this region, it helps to have high-speed Internet connections, which have reached the capacity and matched prices offered in Charlotte and the Triangle.

But there is still room in western North Carolina for traditional manufacturers. Birmingham, Ala.-based crane and lift maker...