5 Reasons to Choose Newark
In January, Choose New Jersey announced at our annual Board of Directors meeting that we would be moving our operations to Newark, NJ. Our office would be located on the same floor of One Gateway Center as the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA). This will give companies interested in New Jersey full access to our economic development team and allow us to properly showcase one of our State’s greatest cities.
Amazon also saw the potential in Newark – that’s why it was listed as a top 20 finalist for the HQ2 site. If Amazon decides to reopen the search, Newark and the State of New Jersey stands ready to welcome the tech giant with open arms.
Here are five reasons why Choose New Jersey chose Newark, and why any business—including Amazon—should too.
#1 Strength in diversity
For so many, New Jersey is a land of hope and Newark is a city of dreams. Newark is the #1 U.S. City for Integrating Immigrants within the New American Economy [NAE] Cities Index and home to Rutgers University-Newark – the #1 Most Diverse College in the U.S according to Best Value Colleges. Equity and inclusion are a part of Newark’s fabric. The city celebrates its many ethnic enclaves and boasts residents from 132 nations. Newark is majority-minority with 48% African American and 37% Hispanic residents. The city is home to the most Cuban-Americans outside of Florida, the third largest Peruvian, Indian and Korean populations in the country and the fourth largest Chinese population in the U.S. The Newark region has the highest concentration of top foreign talent with one-third of all degrees earned by foreign-born residents. The region awards more H-1B visas (total and per 100 workers) than Boston, Austin and Raleigh, and over 40% of STEM occupations are minority held.
#2 Peerless infrastructure
Think centrality, speed, accessibility. More than a million people move through Newark every day. The city offers a robust transportation system and logistics infrastructure like no other. Newark Liberty International Airport – one of the busiest in America – offers daily flights to nearly 175 non-stop destinations and is only 10 minutes from downtown. NJ Transit and PATH trains put Manhattan within an 18-minute commute. Amtrak rail access gets passengers to Boston, MA in 4 hours and Washington, D.C. in 3 hours. Interstate highways 78, 80 and 95 make getting in and out of the city by car among the easiest of any location in the NY-NJ metropolitan area. The nearby Port of New York and New Jersey is the 3rd busiest seaport in North America and the largest maritime cargo center on the East Coast.
#3 Wired for 21st century business
Newark has the best fiber optic network in the world – no city delivers faster internet speeds. More than a decade ago, forward-looking city leaders installed 26 miles of underground municipal fiber. Newark now offers 10-gigabits-per second speeds commercially to local residents and businesses at lower prices than other cities. The city can deliver over 100 gigabits per second from the downtown “telco hotel.” Newark’s outdoor Wi-Fi network is one of the largest and fastest in the country, delivering 400 megabits per second. Newark has committed to investing even more to maintain its tech infrastructure to ensure its place among the world’s smartest cities.
#4 Young, exceptional talent
New Jersey sets the national standard for educating the next generation. The State ranks #2 for educating students at every level according to U.S. News & World Report, and is one of the top four best states for educational excellence in CNBC’s 2017 Top States for Business rankings. A business located in the Newark region has the unmatched ability to tap into this talent pool.
The Newark region boasts one of the most educated populations in the county, with more people employed in tech and business jobs than Boston, Austin and Raleigh. The region produces 14,000 STEM graduates annually and awards the second highest percentage of STEM degrees among our Northeast peers. As the fifth-largest college town on the East Coast, Newark is anchored by two major campuses: Rutgers University-Newark and the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
#5 A city of character + culture
Newark has it all: a thriving restaurant scene, green spaces, exciting sports and entertainment and the arts and sciences. The Ironbound District is the go-to neighborhood for old fashioned and contemporary twists on Portuguese, Spanish and Brazilian dining. Branch Brook Park is a beautiful national landmark and home to the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. The Prudential Center & GRAMMY Museum Experience is New Jersey’s premiere venue for live entertainment, including New Jersey Devils hockey, Seton Hall basketball and the biggest names in music. The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) inspires and enlightens with dance, music, comedy and conversations. Newark Museum houses 80 art and science galleries including the Ballentine House and Dreyfuss Planetarium.
Newark is a gateway to greatness, with key assets and accessibility a forward-thinking company would need. Home to the headquarters of Prudential, Panasonic North America, PSEG, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield and Audible, any business located in Newark would be among good company. As Choose New Jersey envisioned the future of our organization, we too wanted to be part of Newark’s story of transformation. We invite you to join us in one of the most diverse, vibrant and connected cities in America. Let’s write Newark’s next chapter, together.
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