The headquarters of these successful companies have one thing in common:
They capitalize on Carlsbad!

Located along the San Diego North County coastline, Carlsbad is renown for its dynamic business environment. With its high- quality education, recreation, and residential components, Carlsbad has attracted corporate headquarters for such national and international organizations as Jazzercise, Inc., Jenny Craig, the Gemological Institute of America, K2 Inc., Isis Pharmaceuticals, Invitrogen, and Sunrise Medical. Boasting a healthy tourism base, Carlsbad is also home to more than 20 golf companies in the industry, including Callaway, Acushnet and TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company. Visit About Economic Development for further information on services related to business assistance.

Capitalize on Location

Carlsbad is easily accessed by Interstate 5 and Highway 78. Travel time to either Orange County or downtown San Diego is approximately 35 minutes, with Los Angeles and Tijuana, Mexico only one hour away. Carlsbad exhibits natural landscapes and a beautiful coastline that extends along its western border. The city boasts green parks, graceful lagoons, and pristine sandy white beaches that can be enjoyed year round. Swimmers and sun lovers are drawn to the excellent surf conditions and the soft sand that Carlsbad beaches offer. Coastal temperatures range from an average of 58 degrees in January to a pleasant 73 degrees in July. Annual rainfall averages about 10 inches, falling mostly between the winter and early spring months. Because of Carlsbad's diverse business culture and spectacular setting, the thriving "village by the sea" is called home to nearly 92,000 residents and attracts thousands of tourists year round. Money magazine has named Carlsbad one of the most desirable places to live in America.

Capitalize on Workforce Recruitment

Human resources and employee retention issues are crucial factors in your company's success. Capitalize on Carlsbad's great location to attract and retain the best employees. By virtue of location, Carlsbad has accommodations and opportunities for any of your company's workforce production or distribution needs. Artful city planning, coupled with the dynamic Carlsbad business community, has been instrumental in developing strategically placed traffic corridors to accommodate both residents and commuters. Interstate 5 bisects Carlsbad running parallel to the coastline. Highway 78, running along Carlsbad's northern border, connects the City to the Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, and Escondido markets of the county. North County Transit has two terminal sites in Carlsbad for commuter rail service. These stations currently serve the light rail line running from San Diego to Oceanside. Ultimately, the light rail line will extend east to Escondido. Plans are underway for construction of rail network that will link Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, and San Diego counties, which include connections with Carlsbad. Carlsbad's McClellan-Palomar Airport is one of the busiest single runway airports in the nation and serves the metropolitan area of northern San Diego County and the Southern California region in general. More than 400 aircraft, including a significant number of corporate jets, are based at the McClellan-Palomar Airport.

Capitalize on Quality of Life

Carlsbad provides a full range of services normally associated with a municipality including police, fire, parks and recreation, library, planning and zoning, building and engineering, various maintenance services and administration. Carlsbad has more than 7 miles of beach and coastline, and over 150 acres of developed parkland offering year-around recreation. To complement Carlsbad's superior sport and recreational facilities, the City has planned a comprehensive system of natural open space and hiking trails. In contrast to many coastal areas, Carlsbad has retained a number of natural resources, including three coastal lagoons.

Staff and senior executives alike desire high standards of education for their business and their families. Carlsbad's residents have grown accustomed to placing high standards on their education. Annual fiscal, demographic, and performance test scores demonstrate how the schools serving Carlsbad are continuing to surpass both county and statewide averages. Flip through the rest of this booklet for local API and SAT test scores.

Carlsbad is also convenient to many of the colleges and universities in the San Diego area. Cal State San Marcos (CSUSM), MiraCosta College, and Palomar College are approximately 15 minutes away. The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) is approximately 22 miles away. Plus, San Diego State University (SDSU) and the University of San Diego (USD) are both approximately 35 miles away. These colleges attract many highly motivated individuals seeking to broaden their education. The schools' output of well-educated students provides the city and surrounding areas with a rich pool of workforce talent.

Capitalize on the Corporate Cluster

The importance of collaborative networks, the synergy between academic research and commercial applications, and the development of large industrial parks have all contributed toward the concentration of firms in Carlsbad. According to a January 2005 North County Times survey, five of North County's 23 largest employers are based in Carlsbad, making Carlsbad home to the most organizations on the top 23 list. Greg Geissman, Invitrogen's Public Relations Manager, asserts that Invitrogen leaders enjoy a location rich in the supplies and talent they need. Geissman is quoted praising Carlsbad in the San Diego SourceBook 2004 by stating, "Of course, the business climate is excellent as is the community."

Apart from its picturesque scenery, coastal distinction, and high standard of living, Carlsbad has truly become an economic jewel of San Diego County. Carlsbad has enjoyed a strong local economy for many years, much of which has come from industrial development. The Carlsbad General Plan designates approximately 2,500 acres in the central corridor for planned industrial use and has embraced manufacturing companies of all types to move into this designated area. Light manufacturing, research and development, communications and corporate headquarters, as well as other types of high technology and biotechnology industries are encouraged and permitted in the corridor. Most available lots are graded with street improvements and utilities already in place.