From its past as an industrial/manufacturing center, South Bend has grown into Northern Indiana/Southern Michigan's regional center for business and commerce, health, education, arts, culture, sports, and entertainment. From museums, performing and fine arts institutions, colleges and universities, sports and recreational facilities, to conference and convention centers and the finest in medical care, South Bend offers residents and visitors alike, big-city amenities in a friendly, Midwestern atmosphere.

Continuing new developments demonstrate confidence in South Bend as a prime area for investment and set the stage for the next stage of new development. We support the entrepreneurial spirit that has helped build our city and our efforts are directed at stimulating even more investment and supporting an entrepreneurial approach to urban development to help strengthen South Bend's position as the heart of the region.

At America's Crossroads . . .
As recently noted in the South Bend Tribune Business Weekly: South Bend is the center of a triangle between Chicago, Indianapolis, and Detroit. A study showed that only one other city, Harrisburg, PA is more strategically positioned than South Bend to offer one-day delivery to reach a significant portion of the country's population. "Location, location, location – that's why we do so well with Logistics (warehousing and distribution)," said Mark Eagan, President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of St. Joseph County.

South Bend on the Move . . .
South Bend has a diverse economic base that includes industry, technology, and transportation of goods. Expansion Management magazine ranked South Bend among the 40 hottest real estate markets for business in 2004 based on available land, office and industrial space inventory, as well as redevelopment opportunities for new and expanding companies (Thomas Gale, city-data.com). Forbes Magazine listed South Bend as one the best places in the nation to start a business or career (April 5, 2007). As you will see in the following information, businesses are recognizing opportunities for expansion and investment in South Bend. Old industrial sites once abandoned, like the Studebaker complex, are being reclaimed for new industrial development and investment.

Smarter, Better, Brighter . . .
South Bend is also rich in educational opportunities, with the University of Notre Dame, St. Mary's College, Holy Cross College, Ivy Tech State University, and Indiana University of South Bend all located within minutes of our growing downtown area. We are working to make South Bend a place where students settle and establish careers and homes after graduation, resulting in "brain gain" for our community.

A Great Place to Live . . .
Downtown South Bend is the arts, culture, sports and entertainment center of the region. In addition to numerous community arts organizations, South Bend offers the internationally-ranked Morris Performing Arts Center and Palais Royale Ballroom, Century Center, the South Bend Regional Museum of Art, the Studebaker National Museum, Northern Indiana Center for History, and the HealthWorks! Kids' Museum.

A Great Place to Visit...
Along with the University of Notre Dame, South Bend is a world-class competition destination...College Football Hall of Fame, Coveleski Regional Baseball Stadium, the East Race Waterway – the first artificial whitewater course in North America, home to numerous Olympic Team Trials, and is now a part of Chicago's bid to land the 2016 Olympics. Finally, with outstanding public courses including Blackthorn, Erskine, Elbel, and Studebaker, and private courses including Warren at Notre Dame, South Bend, last year, was ranked by Golf Digest as the 16th best place in the country for quality of golf.

The Heart of the City . . .
The heart of South Bend is its residents. While the City works to lay the foundations for economic growth, it is the people of South Bend who have partnered with government to build local businesses, revitalize neighborhoods, foster relationships across cultural boundaries and worked at the grass roots level to a build a better South Bend. Together, we are working to envision and implement a growing, vibrant, city for everyone.

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