“The recession spared few U.S. cities, wiping out 9.4 million jobs between November 2007 and August 2009. Many will never return, and those that do you probably won’t find on the East or West Coast. For the most active areas of job creation (and lower costs of doing business) you have to go to the heartland, home to 80% of the top 25 regions on our list of Best Places for Business. In most of these hot hubs you’ll find a strong university or two, providing rich cultural life and the kind of technology transfer that sparks entrepreneurial activity—giving that educated population lots of reasons to stick around.”—- 2011 Best Places for Businesses and Careers, by Kurt Badenhausen, Forbes Magazine, July 18, 2011 http://www.forbes.com/best-places-for-business/
Of the 25 Best Places, #3 is Provo, UT; #21 is Ogden, UT and Logan, UT is #4 on the Best Small Places list. I know people who live in Park City, UT and commute to all 3 of these locations. They are all less than an hour away. Forbes says that Brigham Young University, the fourth-largest private college campus in the U.S., gives Provo a major boost. Ogden is attractive because business costs there are 18% below the national average. Its thriving outdoor recreation opportunities and culture has made it a business hub for outdoor companies such as Atomic, Descente, Rossignol, Salomon and Suunto. Logan, UT, which is just north of Ogden, boasts the lowest crime rate of any small metropolis in the U.S. It is the home to Utah State University.
The recreational opportunities in the Park City area, such as skiing, mountain biking, climbing, golf, and kayaking, make it an incredible place to live. The attractive economic environment and fine universities such as University of Utah and BYU, make it an incredible place to do business. Sounds like a winning combination to me.