Kannapolis named one of the best locations in US for corporate headquarters

WSOCTV.com News Staff
·2 min read

Charlotte may have the more recognizable skyline of big business buildings, but it’s nearby Kannapolis that’s apparently the hot spot to be in if you want to set up a new corporate headquarters.

According to a statement from the city on Wednesday, Kannapolis was named one of the Top 15 Cities in the US For Corporate Headquarters Relocation in Site Selection Magazine.

It’s an apt designation, too, since the city’s history can be traced back to business HQs. The name Kannapolis is even a reference to the Cannon Mills Corporation, an old textile company that at one point was the largest manufacturer of towels and sheets in the world.

According to city leaders, Kannapolis has spent the past decade implementing a revitalization program specifically aimed at bringing companies to town.

RELATED: Next piece of downtown Kannapolis’ remake takes shape

The City Council and staff have been working very hard to ensure that we are a premier city where you can work, start a business, create, and play. We have made significant investments in our infrastructure, public amenities, infrastructure, and city facilities,” Kannapolis City Mayor Darrell Hinnant said in a statement Wednesday. “We have already welcomed numerous companies and small businesses and we are just getting started.”

Kannapolis was named one of the best places in the US for corporate relocations based on the following criteria, according to the city:

  • Location with attractive lifestyle amenities

  • Location with favorable operating cost structures

  • Location with excellent travel and hospitality support services for periodic staff meetings, employee training and enrichment sessions, and client servicing functions

  • Location showing positive demographic and business attraction trends

  • Location with attractive housing markets for C-suite executives

  • In a state with superior personal income tax climates for C-suite executives and staff

  • In a state with superior corporate income tax climates for companies

MORE: Beverage co-packing company to create more than 200 jobs, invest $68M in Kannapolis

Since the investments in downtown Kannapolis, the city says thousands of jobs have been created in a variety of businesses. The city added that new companies have set up operations in the Cabarrus County town, including Amazon, Gordon Food, Prime Beverage, Zipline, Linder, and the N.C. Food Innovation Lab.

The other cities that made the list are Lake Nona, Florida; Punta Gorda, Florida; St. Petersburg, Florida; Westlake, Florida; Minden, Nevada; Cary, North Carolina; Blue Ash, Ohio; Dublin, Ohio; Mount Juliet, Tennessee; Leander, Texas; Plano, Texas; Round Rock, Texas; The Woodlands, Texas and Bellevue, Washington.