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Northeast: Unbeatable Opportunity
Florida's
 Demographics for the Northeast Region can be found at Business Florida's interactive map of Florida. |
| Northeast Florida Resources: Universities/Colleges • Edward Waters College • First Coast Technical College • Flagler College • Florida Community College at Jacksonville • Jacksonville University • Jones College • St. Johns River Community College • University of North Florida Airports |
Two-thirds of the 50 million people living in the southeastern United States are within 600 miles of the First Coast. An interconnected system of roads, rails, airports and seaports means that goods shipped from here can arrive almost anywhere in the U.S. within hours. Three major railroads — including CSX Transportation, the largest railroad east of the Mississippi River — serve the area. Three interstates — I-10, I-75 and I-95 — plus 16 major highways provide additional ground transportation options. Two deepwater ports — Port of Jacksonville and Port Fernandina — help move goods across water; five airports expedite further movement of people and cargo.
Jacksonville/Duval County
On the Move: Jacksonville in Duval County is the center of economic activity in northeast Florida. The key to this city's continuing success is its diverse economy, which includes a thriving port, a booming healthcare industry and a solid financial sector. It's no surprise then that Jacksonville has three times been named among the top cities on Expansion Management magazine's annual "America's 50 Hottest Cities" list. No other city in the U.S. has that distinction. And Black Enterprise magazine ranks Jacksonville as one of the nation's 10 best cities for African Americans, eclipsing such urban centers as Chicago and Philadelphia.
 Jacksonville, Florida's most populous city and a multimodal transportation hub, is a center of economic activity. |
Helping to fuel Jacksonville's success is a thriving port, which supports nearly 50,000 jobs in northeast Florida and provides almost $3 billion in economic impact. JAXPORT is an ideal location for shippers who want to shorten routes between the United States and Panama. One of the world's largest multimodal shipping companies — Asian-based Mitsui O.S.K. Limited (MOL) — started calling on the port in summer 2008, six months ahead of schedule; MOL's subsidiary, TraPac, is opening a 158-acre terminal. In addition, Hanjin, Korea's largest container carrier, has signed an agreement with JAXPORT to develop a new terminal facility. The Hanjin project is slated to open in 2011; estimated costs are between $200 million and $300 million. Hanjin's U.S. subsidiary — Total Terminal — already operates in Long Beach and Seattle; JAXPORT will be its only East Coast location.
