Pitching Philly to Businesses

Philadelphia Inquirer (06/02/08) ; DiStefano, Joseph N.

Philadelphia continues to have its share of problems attracting companies and other organizations to relocate there. Brandywine Realty Trust President and CEO Gerald H. Sweeney, though, believes the metro area still has potential as a business center if it is marketed properly. He states, "We need to attract people with what we have: affordability, transportation, the cost of housing. We're reliant here on the colleges and medical schools and hospitals--'eds and meds.' They're great economic engines, but they need to be balanced with private industry that grows."

As for the Center City, Sweeney remarks, "We have a high level of redundancy in the organizations that promote Philadelphia, that promote business in this region. . . . Companies want useful information. They're looking for efficiency, performance, economics and something to take home to their base."

He concludes by stressing the need for city officials to be active with corporations' various location strategy personnel to ease the process as much as possible. He adds, "When companies are doing site selection, it's a long day [and] everything begins to blur for the people on the tour. You need to create memory points. Like when you sit down with the governor of the state and the mayor. Not a second-level policy person who might be droning on in another presentation."

( http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20080602_Pitching_Philly_to_businesses .html )