FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 30, 2003

Hartford Named ‘4-Star City’ By National Magazine - Only Connecticut city among Expansion Management’s top picks

HARTFORD, CONN. – For the first time, Hartford has been named among the country’s best cities by Expansion Management Magazine, a monthly business magazine for executives of companies that are actively looking for a place to expand or relocate their facilities within the next one to three years.

Expansion Management recently published its 5th annual “Quality of Life QuotientTM ratings of the 329 metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) throughout the United States. The magazine rates metro areas as a way of providing its readers with a basis for comparing the type of living and working environment they are likely to encounter in various communities around the country. The Top 50 MSAs earned the coveted “Five Star” distinction, while the next 60 (representing the top 33 percent of MSAs) received a “Four Star” distinction.

“If your criteria for a great place to live begins and ends with accessibility to world class theater and opera, then this is probably not the list for you,” said Bill King, editor of Expansion Management magazine. “However, if your idea of a great place to live and work is based upon a reasonable cost of living, affordable housing, low crime, excellent transportation access, good public schools, proximity to community colleges and universities, an educated work force, low taxes, and other concerns that you as a potential employer might have, then our Quality of Life Quotient is just what you’re looking for.”
Expansion Management magazine is mailed to more than 45,000 CEOs, vice presidents, directors and other executives of companies that have indicated they are considering expanding into new geographic areas.

“We compared all 329 MSAs according to nearly 50 statistical criteria and came up with a ranking that most middle-class people can identify with,” said King.

The most heavily-weighted category in the QLQ addresses the ability of families and individuals to meet their financial needs and desires. Median family income, per capita income and per capita disposable income levels were combined with cost of living adjustments, state and local tax burdens, family and individual poverty levels, and unemployment rates.

A significant part of the American Dream involves home ownership, or at least the ability to afford to live in a decent house or apartment. Our next most heavily-weighted category ranked the MSAs on housing affordability for median-income families, as well as fair market rents for three- and four-bedroom rental housing units.

But it’s not all about money. Things like peace of mind are also important to most families and employers.
“When it comes to quality of life from an individual or company perspective, low crime rates provide a sense of security, an expectation that a person won’t fall victim to personal injury or property loss,” said Michael Keating, research editor for Expansion Management.
For a copy of the Quality of Life Quotient 2003 article, go to Expansion Management’s Web site at www.ExpansionManagement.com.

About Expansion Management Magazine
Expansion Management is a monthly magazine published by Penton Media, Inc. (NYSE: PME), a leading, global business-to-business media company that produces market-focused magazines, trade shows and conferences, and Web sites. Penton's integrated media portfolio serves the following industries: Internet/broadband; information technology; electronics; natural products; food/retail; manufacturing; design/engineering; supply chain; aviation; government/compliance; mechanical systems/construction; and leisure/hospitality. For more information, visit www.penton.com.

About Hartford Economic Development Commission
HEDC is a public/private partnership created by the City Council in 1999 to serve as the principal economic development agent for the City. The City has entrusted HEDC with its vision for prosperous growth and has charged HEDC to lead the development of the new Hartford. HEDC provides one-on-one services to corporations and small neighborhood businesses throughout the city. HEDC is also an active partner with Hartford 2000 in the Neighborhood Training Institute to train Hartford’s neighborhood leaders to help revitalize their communities. For more information on HEDC, please visit www.hartfordecodev.com.

Five-Star Communities:

Four-Star Communities: