A whole lot more than Disney World.

Orlando's reputation for decades has been based upon its close association with Disney World. But that is changing -- rapidly!

In the last five years, new business relocations and expansions of existing businesses, as well as film and television productions, have had an economic impact of more than $1.2 billion of investment and revenue, nearly 30,000 new jobs and more than 15 million square feet of office and industrial space leased or constructed.

Metro Orlando's marketing efforts have been aided by favorable rankings when compared with other cities. More than 900 executives surveyed by FORTUNE magazine ranked Orlando as one of the top 10 U.S. cities for global competition in 1992 and one of the top 60 cities for knowledge workers in 1993. Orlando ranks among Inc. magazine's fastest growing cities in the U.S. and the Southeast's best city for "growing a business," and Business Week included Orlando in a list of emerging high-tech growth regions, referring to Central Florida as "Laser Lane."

So, why all the fuss?

What began as a quiet, sleepy region in the middle of Florida best known for its sunshine and oranges now has developed into a diversified, global city with major economic activities in manufacturing, banking and insurance, high technology industries, film and television production, tourism, wholesale and retail trade, and services. Metro Orlando is home to some of the world's top corporations, including American Automobile Association, Signature Flight Support, General Mills Restaurant Group, Ripley's Believe It or Not!, Siemens Stromberg-Carlson, AT&T, Westinghouse Electric Corporation and Campus Crusade For Christ, to name a few.

DISNEY'S IMPACT

The largest employer is Walt Disney World Attractions and the largest manufacturer in terms of employment is Martin Marietta Electronics & Missiles. More than 1.3 million people call the Orlando MSA home, which includes Orange, Seminole, Lake and Osceola counties.

Why are businesses attracted to Orlando?

While there are many factors involved in selecting a location for a business, depending upon the type of business and the markets served, there are several notable reasons companies choose Orlando.

Transportation is a major factor. The country's fastest growing airport and one of the world's top 25 gateways, Orlando International Airport is modern and efficient. Because of the high volume of tourist and business traffic, air services includes 800 flights daily on more than 20 air carriers, reaching all corners of the world.

Orlando is also the ground transportation hub for the state, with major limited-access highways intersecting in the region, thus providing easier access to markets and lower costs to distributors and shippers located here. Additionally, the metro area offers flexible and efficient rail and sea transportation systems. "Orlando International Airport is the economic engine that's driving this community. Every aspect of the business community recognizes that," declares Orlando Mayor Glenda Hood. "The airport plays a critical direct and indirect role in business development because providing quick access to Orlando makes doing business here easy."

"The airport is a factor in our being here," say Bill Schwartz, president of Schwartz Electro-Optics Inc., a leader in laser development. "A lot of our customers come here from all over the world, bringing their families with them for a combined vacation and business trip. This is important to a lot of customers."

METROPOLITAN WORK FORCE

Metro Orlando's work force is young and well-educated. Nearly 700,000 people, with a median age of 32, are employed in the area and thousands more move here each year. The number of new jobs grows by more than five percent each year, making Orlando the number one market in the U.S. for job growth, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Residents can gain higher-level education/training through three community colleges, with six campuses, which provide traditional college curriculum leading to associate's degrees, as well as specialized vocational training. Additionally, the University of Central Florida and Rollins College offer a total of nearly 25,000 students curriculums in all areas of study leading to bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees.

When Charles Schwab & Co., the nation's largest discount brokerage firm, chose Orlando for its new regional customer telephone service center, finding nearly 300 qualified, registered brokers in the area was of critical importance to them. "We were extremely pleased to find such an abundant labor market in Orlando, including a diversified work force," explains Tom Lawrie, Schwab senior vice president of Central Services.

A third major consideration for business in this area is cost. Orlando has relatively low costs for doing business. Land is inexpensive by many standards, and housing prices are below the U.S. national average, with new, single-family homes available at an average price of 88,500 U.S. dollars. Labor costs are also very competitive, typically 10 percent lower than the national average. And taxes, always traditionally low in Florida, are among the most equitable in the country.

Just over a year ago Conner Peripherals, based in California, bought Maynard Electronics in Orlando and considered relocating the operation. An analysis of the costs impacting Conner's bottom line was conducted revealing that the costs to do business in Central Florida versus other locations was considerably lower. "Two things that weighed heavily in Orlando's favor were that there is no tax on goods in transit in Florida, as there is in other states. Also, Florida's homestead exemption is a real benefit for employees," noted Bob Hammond, manager of operations for Conner Peripherals in Orlando.

PRO-BUSINESS GOVERNMENT

Pro-business government is also critical to the economic development of a region, and Orlando's local government has been extremely responsive to the changing demands of industry. In fact, in an unprecedented agreement, Orange County officials and the City of Orlando committed to provide an economic incentive package of $150,000 in cash and in-kind services to BSB Productions for producing "Thunder in Paradise," a $20-million action-adventure television show starring "Hulk" Hogan, Chris Lemmon and Carol Alt, in Metro Orlando. "It's exciting to see the county and city play such an active and aggressive role in attracting this international, high-profile project," said Metro Orlando Film and Television Office Director Kathy Ramsberger. "The economic impact of this project on Orlando's economy will be in the millions of dollars."

Finally, Metro Orlando is attractive for its "quality of life." This p0hrase may be overworked today, but in mid-Florida, it has true meaning. The people here enjoy a moderate cost of living, with the median price of a home at $88,500.

Additionally, Florida has no state personal income tax. Residents also have access to high-caliber educational and medical facilities, and may choose from abundant year-round recreational and cultural activities.

Quality of life was an issue when American Automobile Association (AAA) considered a relocation in the late 1980s from Falls Church, Virginia. AAA started with 64 cities before narrowing the choice to Dallas and Orlando. "We looked at a number of criteria," recalls Karen Wall, AAA vice president of human resources.

"Some were business-related, but others were employee-focused: school systems, housing availability and cost, the general way of life, crime rate, taxes. We also looked at the cost of labor, corporate taxes, building and land, and air flights in and out."

AAA chose to build a new headquarters building in Orlando. Half of its employees relocated with the organization -- and more than 90 percent of those people have stayed with AAA in Metro Orlando. Today, AAA employs 1,200 people with an annual payroll exceeding $21 million. The organization purchases more than $10 million in goods and services within the state.

CONVENTION BUSINESS

How is Orlando distinguished from other cities?

Notably as a tourist destination. Though by no means a single-industry town, tourism is a strong force in Metro Orlando. In fact, Orlando is the number one vacation destination in the world, drawing more than 13 million visitors annually since 1989. But not all those visitors are vacationing. Orlando is a strong convention market that attracted almost 1.5 convention delegates in 1992.

"Not only do conventions complement consumer travel in terms of season, they also generate more money," say Bill Peeper, chairman of the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau. "Convention delegates account for about 10 percent of the total number of visitors, but 20 percent of the spending in Orlando."

Orlando's convention business also seems to be good for economic development because people can see firsthand Metro Orlando's business climate. "Many people come here for a convention and realize that Orlando may be a good place for business, as well as a great place to live," notes Peeper.

Metro Orlando is Growing, but at the same time it's keeping an eye on that growth to ensure careful planning that is beneficial to the community as a whole. Growing, but maintaining the friendliness and openness that has always been a characteristic of the region.

ORLANDO'S HIGH-PROFILE HIGH TECHNOLOGY

Besides being the globe's No. 1 tourist destination, Orlando also ranks near the top on the high-tech meter. In fact, Business Week magazine recognized it as one of the fastest growing high-tech regions in the county, and Site Selection magazine ranked the Central Florida Research Park in Orlando as one of the top 10 in the world.

When hospitals, for example, want to buy surgical lasers that can delicately open pathways in clogged arteries near the heart, they come to Orlando, one of the birthplaces of lasers. When computer manufacturers want the best and most advanced adapters and storage systems, they go to Orlando. The U.S. Army or and the Navy both come to Orlando for the latest in aircraft and tank training simulators.

Metro Orlando's high technology community is the result of a combination of elements. For starters, there is already a broad base of specialized, high-tech firms in Orange, Seminole, Lake and Osceola counties. With more than 2,500 high-tech related companies in the region, Orlando has the third largest concentration of laser and electro-optic companies in the U.S. Lasers were developed by Martin Marietta in Orlando during the 1960s. A cottage industry then formed and has grown since. An additional plus is the University of Central Florida's (UCF) Center For Research in Electro-Optics and Lasers (CREOL), one of only three of its kind in the nation.

Moreover, Orlando is also a world leader in computer-driven simulators, boasting more than 150 simulator-related companies. Again, UCF offers assistance with its Institute for Simulation and Training (IST), which is the founder of "virtual reality." Both CREOL and IST are located adjacent to the University in the 1,027-acre Central Florida Research Park, which is home to more than 70 high-tech companies employing 4,000 people.

Computers are big business in Orlando, too. The computer software industry encompasses more than 200 software manufacturers alone. IBAX, a medial computer software company that is a joint effort between IBM and Baxter Medical Inc., recently moved its headquarters from New York to Orlando. AT&T employs 6,000 people in Orlando, with 1,000 workers in a one-million-square-foot "clean room" facility that produces high-grade silicon microprocessors. And Siemens Stromberg-Carlson Corp., a joint venture between British and German owners, produces a high-grade electronic telephone switching equipment here. This large base of existing high-tech industry means a good supply of skilled workers, contends Bill Schwartz, president of Schwartz Electro-Optics and considered one of the fathers of laser development. "There's a good supply of subcontractors, machine shops, people who can make electronic assemblies." Besides a well-trained labor force, Schwartz cites Orlando International Airport and relatively low business operating costs as advantages to doing business in Orlando.

"We air ship most of our stuff and it is very, very convenient to have that kind of facility here," says Schwartz of the airport. Regarding costs, he notes, "I have a research company in Boston and their occupancy costs are three times what ours are here."

Finally, Metro Orlando's quality of life is a primary reason many companies choose to locate or remain in the region. Randy Berridge, district manager of public relations for AT&T, notes that Orlando's quality of life makes the company's 6,000 Central Florida employees happy both on and off the job.

Richard W. Tesch is president of the Economic Development Commission of Mid-Florida, Inc., a not-for-profit, community development organization serving the Orlando MSA, including Orange, Seminole, Lake and Osceola counties.