COVID could send Tucson more corporate relocations

Companies seek less densely populated places

WITH A SUPER CONTAGIOUS VIRUSAROUND, SOME COMPANIES ARETHINKING THEY WANT THEIRWORKFORCE OUT OF TIGHTLYPACKED CITIES.

2:02 MARKWILLIAMS/SITE SELECTION GUILD:"AND IT GIVES MORE MOMENTUM TOA CITY LIKE TUCSON ORNASHVILLE OR RALEIGH I CANNAME A NUMBER BUT TUCSON IS ASTRONG ONE.

I GOTTA TELL YA."2:09 MARK WILLIAMS IS WITH THESITE SELECTION GUILD, ANORGANIZATION FOR SPECIALISTSIN FINDING NEW CORPORATELOCATIONS.

HE SAYS TUCSON WASALREADY ATTRACTING A LOT OFRELOCATIONS, LIKE THECATERPILLAR'S MININGTECHNOLOGY DIVISION.

THE BRAINPOWER COMING OUT OF UNIVERSITYOF ARIZONA IS A BIG ATTRACTIONFOR COMPANIES AND DOWNTOWN'SREBIRTH ALLOWS URBAN CULTUREAND ENTERTAINMENT BUT WITH ALITTLE MORE ELBOW ROOM.

CRAIGSTAND UP: PEOPLE WHO USEDTECHNOLOGY TO WORK FROM HOMEBECAUSE OF THE VIRUS MAYCONTINUE TO WORK FROM HOME."SO WHY NOT TRADE A CRAMPEDURBAN APARTMENT FOR A ROOMYHOUSE YOU COULD BUY IN TUCSON?MARK WILLIAMS/SITE SELECTIONGUILD: 3:25 YEAH, AND WHY NOTBE IN A CITY WHERE WE DON'THAVE AN HOUR AND A HALF, TWOHOUR COMMUTE EACH WAY?

WHYNOT?

3:32 SUN CORRIDOR'S BEENUSING THOSE QUALITIES TO SELLCOMPANIES ON TUCSON ANDSOUTHERN ARIZONA FOR YEARS.MARK WELSH FROM SUN CORRIDORSAYS TUCSON'S STRONG,SOPHISTICATED WORKFORCE ISSTILL THE MAIN ATTRACTION BUTREACTION TO THE VIRUS HAS BEENA BOOST.

HE SAYS INQUIRIESDROPPED IN MARCH AND APRIL,THEN PICKED UP AGAIN.

1:01 "INTHE AEROSPACE AND DEFENSE SIDEOF THINGS ON THE MANUFACTURINGSIDE, ON THE MEDICAL DEVICESECTOR, WE'RE SEEING HEALTHYACTIVITY, WE'RE SEEINGACTIVITY THAT I PERSONALLYTHOUGHT I WASN'T SURE WE WOULDSEE." 1:15 HE SAYS COMPANIESWANT MANUFACTURING SPACE BUTTHE WORK AT HOME FACTOR MAKESOFFICE DEMAND LESS CERTAIN.AND THE COMPLICATIONS OFMOVING DURING A PANDEMIC HAVEMADE IT HARDER FOR COMPANIESTO ACTUALLY MAKE THE MOVESTHEY'VE BEEN PLANNING.

CRAIGSMITH, KGUN9 ON YOUR SIDECUYLER WE'RE SEEING TRIPLEDIGITS CONTINUE INTO THE