Maybe the state Legislature should consider a public offering of the 11-county Little Rock metro area.

Southern Business and Development Magazine places Little Rock at the top of its list of Southern markets having banner years despite  the poor economy.

Says magazine editor Michael Randle: “We’ve all been hammered by the stock market this year. Yet, if Little Rock were a stock, I’d buy shares in it.” 

Little Rock outpaced San Antonio, Chattanooga, Tenn., Birmingham, Ala., Houston, Oklahoma City and others on the recently published list.

How? With investments and expansions by Dassault Falcon Jet, Kimberly Clark, ITT Industries in 2007, followed by the multi-million dollar deals Welspun Gujarat Stahl Rohren, LM Glasfiber and Hewlett Packard announced in 2008.

Since the magazine went to press, the metro area also landed a $20 million investment by wind-energy companies Polymarin Composites USA and Wind Water Technology.

“Recession? Don’t tell the folks in Little Rock,” Randle wrote. “It doesn’t get much better than this.”

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