The City of Lancaster announced Friday that it was named “Most Business-Friendly City” at the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation’s 18th annual Eddy Awards Thursday evening.
Lancaster is the first city in the history of the program to have won the award twice, with its first win in 2007, according to the news release.
City of Lancaster representatives at LAEDC’s 18th Eddy Awards
“We are deeply honored that an organization of this caliber has once again recognized Lancaster with this very prestigious award,” Mayor R. Rex Parris said in the release. “Since 1996, LAEDC and its president, Bill Allen, have played a key role in many of Lancaster’s recent successes, including the attraction of BYD’s e-bus and battery manufacturing facilities.”
The LAEDC is the premier economic development organization in Los Angeles County, since 1996 having helped retain or attract more than 190,000 annual jobs in the county with an estimated labor income of $11.8 billion.
During Thursday night’s ceremony, the City of La Mirada was also named Most Business-Friendly Smaller City, with a population under 50,000.
“This year’s Most Business-Friendly Cities, Lancaster and La Mirada, understand that domestic and global competition for jobs, businesses and entire industries has never been fiercer,” said Bill Allen, LAEDC president and CEO. “The City of Lancaster vigorously competes by training its residents for tomorrow’s jobs, not for yesterday’s; by keeping costs and fees down to attract new businesses and jobs; and by supporting its start-up sector, which will drive the city’s economic growth in the future.”
The winners were selected based on criteria such as their ability to demonstrate a commitment to economic development as a priority; designing programs and services that facilitate business entry, expansion and retention; and a city’s economic development activity over the past three years.
“Considered one of the least expensive places to conduct business by the Kosmont-Rose Survey, Lancaster’s economic stimulus package, streamlined permit process, and reduced transactions fees have spurred economic, community and real estate development,” a press release issued by the LAEDC stated. “The downtown revitalization project created a vibrant urban center with 50 new businesses and hundreds of new jobs.”
The Eddy Awards celebrate public and private excellence in LA County economic development, with the Most Business-Friendly City Award, and with the recognition of individuals and private organization honorees that demonstrate exceptional contributions to positive economic development in the region.
The LAEDC, the region’s premier economic development leadership organization, is a private, non-profit public benefit organization established in 1981. Its mission is to attract, retain, and grow business and jobs for the regions of Los Angeles County. For more information about the LAEDC, visit http://www.LAEDC.org.
The City of Lancaster is a thriving community of more than 158,000 in northern Los Angeles County. A low cost of doing business, endless potential for growth, and a strong commitment to business from local leaders has twice earned Lancaster the Eddy Award for “Most Business-Friendly City” in Los Angeles County from the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation. For more information on Lancaster, visit http://www.CityofLancasterCa.org.
