The Research Triangle Regional Partnership hosted its 3rd annual "State of the Region" event this morning. A packed house of 800 people came out to the RTP Sheraton Imperial to hear the latest on the region's economic health and competitive position.
Among the highlights:
* Job growth is very strong and accelerating -- more than 43,000 new jobs have been created in the 13-county Research Triangle region in the past two years, with strong gains in key cluster areas of life sciences, health care and technology
* Wages are rising again
* Housing is steady and strengthening
* Air service is expanding to key distinations (including Delta's recently announced direct flights to Salt Lake City and Los Angeles)
* Progress is being made across the region (including such metrics as venture capital funding in North Carolina companies -- up 40% year-over-year)
Despite the positive news, RTRP officials made an excellent point that the region must continue to work hard to remain its competitive position.
What should the Triangle and North Carolina focus on moving forward to keep it among the leading innovation-based regions in the world?