3 Reasons Entrepreneurs Are Going North Of Salt Lake City
For the third consecutive year, Forbes has ranked Utah first on their Best States for Business list. Lately, Utahans are getting pretty used to hearing their State thrown around — Best Economy, first in population growth rate, and top in tech sector growth. We’ve even accepted that we’re the next Silicon Valley. It’s time we get more granular and look at why businesses are going North of SLC rather than dealing with the Point of the Mountain.
National Recognition
Forbes ranked Ogden eighth in the nation for The Best Places for Business and Careers because of the low cost of doing business, high job growth, and the overall quality of life. This is why many of Utah’s fastest growing companies like Shopper Approved, Pluralsight, and Vista Outdoor have chosen to set up shop in the area. Outdoor recreation is also a big motivator. Ogden was ranked first by National Geographic in their Top 10 Emerging Ski Towns and Ogden Business touts that, “virtually no other metropolitan area can boast such immediate access to 230 miles of maintained trails, 13,000 acres of freshwater and over 170,000 acres of National Forest land.”
Startup Ogden
This is a tech startup’s dream! There is funding, low overhead, and — most importantly — a cool environment to work. Startup Ogden is a collaboration between WSU and Ogden City that provides an environment where even the smallest little startup can feel like one of the slick, venture capitalist funded tech companies in the Southern Silicon Slopes. Housed in a refurbished 103-year-old tractor dealership, Startup Ogden has 18,000 square feet of open space with rent-able ($99-a-month) dedicated working space equipped with fiber internet, conference room, shower, and locker room. Because of the original wood beams and exposed brick, HQ — a digital creative agency and shining success story of the program — says, “The most common first reaction is “Wow.” Startup companies can receive funding from Startup Ogden starting at $15,000 with no ceiling.
Business Depot Ogden
Once a logistical military rail depot and even holding German and Italian prisoners of WWII, the Business Depot Ogden (BDO) is now one of the largest business complexes in the state. The project included $65 million in renovation and $245 million in new construction. It now spans over one thousand acres and houses roughly 4,500 employees. The BDO has had as many as 115 tenants with notable logos like Hershey’s Co. This massive business park plans to be an integral part of the economic engine for the next fifty years.
Much credit is given to the Utah county area for Utah’s pristine economy but we owe plenty to the startups and established businesses that have moved to the Ogden area. With this much going on, Utah is bound to remain high on the business world’s charts.
