Michigan Beats Florida-To IT Jobs

Michigan has vanquished Florida again. This time it wasn't the Capital One Bowl, where the Wolverines knocked off Tim Tebow's Gators 41-35 in 2008. Rather, Michigan won a contest many would argue carries a greater prize-hundreds of good IT jobs.Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm announced Thursday that her state has convinced tech outsourcer CIBER to build a new U.S. development center in Southfield instead of at a competing site in the Sunshine State.

CIBER will invest $8 million to construct the center, which ultimately will employ 700 workers directly and create an additional 700 jobs through increased economic activity in the Southfield area northwest of Detroit, according to the governor's office.

The Michigan Economic Growth Authority approved a $10.1 million tax credit to CIBER over seven years as part of the state's efforts to lure the company. The city of Southfield chipped in with a $1.2 million tax abatement.

CIBER, which is based in Colorado, will provide a full range of tech services from the Southfield facility, including support for infrastructure, operations, and application management. CIBER's blue-chip roster of customers includes AT&T, American Express, Abbott Laboratories, and Cornell University.

Granholm also announced that Michigan's economic development efforts have convinced nine other hi-tech companies to invest in new or expanded facilities in the state, including Dow Chemical, Katkon USA, Sakor Technologies, and lithium-ion battery producer TSC.

"Companies are choosing to invest and grow in Michigan because we are a great state in which to do business," Granholm said in a statement.

"From solar shingles and advanced batteries to boats and scrap-tire recycling, we are creating a diversified economy where firms across a wide spectrum of industries are finding success and growing new jobs," said Granholm.

This one goes to Michigan by a catalytically converted touchdown.