Jim Szymanski of The Olympian penned this story March 19:
"The Olympia area has moved up to eighth place nationally on Forbes magazine’s best places to do business list. South Sound was ranked 10th on last year’s list.

The magazine ranks cities based on factors including job and population growth, crime rates, the cost of living and doing business, educational attainment and cultural and leisure opportunities...

“Boy, that speaks well for us,” said Mike Edwards, a board member of the Economic Development Council of Thurston County [EDC]. “It’s certainly an attractant to our area, especially in relation to Seattle and Tacoma.”

Edwards noted the recent arrivals of a Cabela’s outdoor gear store in Lacey and this week’s opening of Great Wolf Lodge in Grand Mound as new job creators. Those developments will boost the county’s growing tourism business, he said.

Both developments will serve as magnets for further development, Edwards said."

From Forbes:
"BEST PLACES FOR BUSINESS AND CAREERS"

The Yelm City Council approved an annual contract renewal of $6,000 with the Thurston EDC last night.