CIS publishes active Regional Centers for EB-5 Program

USCIS published a list of active regional centers for EB-5 investors visa program. Under the immigrationn law, investors invest $500,000 in these centers may qualify for investors visa.(As of October 2007)

Our law firm represents investors in investors visa program. Please contact us if you are interested in investor's visa in any of the regional centers listed here. If you want to invest in your own business, it can be done, too.
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1. California Consortium for Agricultural Export
Approved: April 18, 2002
Reaffirmed by USCIS: March 19, 2007
Address: 333 Grand Avenue, 25th Floor Los Angeles, CA
Phone/Fax: (213) 892-6367/(213) 892-2267
Geographic Area: 9 counties in Central California known as the San Joaquin Valley.
Focus of Economic Growth Activity: An agricultural investment program purchasing and converting fallow or row crop lands into permanent commercially viable fruit and/or nut trees and grape vines for the domestic and export markets, wineries, and elevator platform machinery manufacturing.
Point of Contact: Susan Spencer, President
Kelly Spencer, Director of Marketing & Investor Relations
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2. Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation
Approved: February 28, 2003
Reaffirmed by USCIS: April 23, 2004
Address: 2600 Centre Square West
1500 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102-2126
Phone/Fax: (215)496-8020; (215)977-9618
Geographic Area: Philadelphia County, PA
Focus of Economic Growth Activity: Tourism convention and visitor services through the hotel, restaurant and hospitality industry; commercial office space renovation and leasing; merchandise import and export sales; investment in high-tech start up companies as well as information and bio-tech enterprises; and trucking and warehousing and transportation enterprises.
Point of Contact: Peter Longstreth, President
Thomas Rosenfeld, Attorney
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3. South Dakota International Business Institute Dairy Economic Development Region (SDIBI--DEDR)
Approved: April 8, 2004
Reaffirmed by USCIS: July 18, 2005 and December 12, 2006
Address: 711 East Wells Avenue
Pierre, South Dakota 57501-3369
Phone/Fax: (605)773-5032; (605)773-3256
Focus of Economic Growth Activity: Factory Dairy Farming, Dairy Processing, Heifer Ranches, Meat Packing and Processing, and hospitality sectors.
Geographic Area: The 44 rural counties in eastern South Dakota
Point of Contact: Mr. Joop Bollen
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4. The Gateway Freedom Fund/AKA: Golden Rainbow Freedom Fund/American Life
Approved: February 5, 1996
Endorsed by USCIS (via case approvals): March 26, 2007
Address: 18034 13th Street, Seattle, WA 98177
Phone/fax: 206-624-5622
Geographic Area: 1) As Golden Rainbow Freedom Fund, air cargo and manufacturing facility in Jackson County, Oregon; 2) As Gateway: City of Seattle Neighborhood Reinvestment Area in Seattle, Washington
Focus of Economic Growth Activity: air and ocean cargo facilities; and manufacturing; warehouses
Point of Contact: Henry Liebmann, Attorney (206-624-5622)
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5. Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED)
Approved: December 2004
Address: 200 East Grand Avenue
Des Moines, Iowa 50309
Phone/Fax: (515)242-4700/(515)242-4809
Geographic Area: 77 Rural and Small Urban Counties in Iowa
Focus of Economic Growth Activity: Dairy Farming.
Point of Contact: Mr. Michael T. Blouin, Director, IDED
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6. Capital Area Regional Center
Approved: November 25, 2005
Address: 888 Sixteenth St NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20006
Phone/Fax: (202)349-9848; (202)355-1399
Geographic Area: Legal boundaries of the District of Columbia (Washington, DC) and the contiguous adjacent areas of Montgomery and Prince Georges Counties in Maryland, Arlington and Fairfax counties in Virginia, and the city of Alexandria, VA.
Focus of Economic Growth Activity: Mixed hotel, retail, office and residential space; a soccer stadium; conference center space, and industrial space.
Point of Contact: Michael R. Sears
John Tung
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7. The Redevelopment Agency of the City of Vernon Regional Center
Approved: December 27, 2005
Address: 4305 Santa Fe Avenue
1500 Market Street
Vernon, CA 90058
Phone/Fax: (215)496-8020; (215)977-9618
Geographic Area: The legal boundaries which constitute the city of Vernon, CA.
Focus of Economic Growth Activity: Food Products processing and manufacturing; apparel manufacturing; transportation and warehousing; household furniture and furnishings.
Point of Contact: Bruce V. Malkenhorst, Executive Director Lincoln Stone, Attorney
(NOTE: HAS REQUESTED “VOLUNTARY TERMINATION”)
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8. Mayor's Office of Economic Development (New Orleans)
Approved: January 18, 1994
Reaffirmed by USCIS: February 16, 2007
Address: Mayor's Office of Economic Development
1515 Poydras Street, Suite 1150
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New Orleans, LA 70112
Phone/fax: Office: 504-658-0919
Geographic Area: Orleans Parish and the City of New Orleans
Focus of Economic Growth Activity: Leasehold Improvements to Fixed Asset Commercial Buildings Sector; Mobile Medical Services Facilities Sector; Commercial Lodging, Hotels, and Hospitality Sector; Mixed-use Real Estate Construction-Reconstruction Sector; Mixed-use Residential Lease and Rental Properties Sector; Arts and Sciences Industry Sector; Harbor Facilities Sector; Gaming and Casinos Sector; and Marine Sector (Commercial Fishing, Processing, Packing, and Shipping Facilities)
Points of Contact: Chase Story, International Liaison
504-658-0919
Bart Hungerford & Timothy Milbrath
NobleOutreach (301) 948-0326
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9. Whatcom Opportunities Regional Center, Inc. (WORC, Inc.)
Approved: October 13, 2006
Address: P.O. Box 2803
Bellingham, WA 98227
1305 11th Street, Suite 301
Bellingham, WA 98225
Geographic Area: The legal boundaries which constitute Whatcom County, Washington.
Focus of Economic Growth Activity: Capital investments and job creation in assisted living facilities for the elderly within Whatcom County
Point of Contact: Rob Pochert, CEcD, EDFP, Executive Director
K. David Andersson, Attorney
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10. Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development
Approved: June 26, 1997
Reaffirmed by USCIS: March 19, 2007
Address: National Life Bldg., Drawer 20, Montpelier, VT 05620
Phone: (802) 828-5202
Geographic Area: State of Vermont
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Focus of Economic Growth Activity: Export-related companies; tourism, hospitality and Commercial Resorts Development
Point of Contact: John Kessler, General Counsel
11. Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development Regional Center
Approved: April 13, 2007
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Address: Department of Community and Economic Development
Phone/Fax: (718) 624-7850
Geographic Area: The contiguous geographic area encompassing twenty-three (23) counties of western Pennsylvania and the delineated Targeted Employment Areas (TEAs) within the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA); delineated TEAs within the city of Pittsburgh; and delineated TEAs within the Erie and Johnstown, Pennsylvania SMSAs.
Focus of Economic Growth Activity: Tourism and hospitality; Technology; Transportation; Manufacturing and Trade; Health Services; Agriculture and Food Production; Higher Education; and Leasehold Improvements to Commercial Office & Mixed-Use Spaces
Points of Contact: Dennis Yablonsky
Secretary
James Rowley
Deputy Secretary
Dept. of Community & Economic Development
Thomas Rosenfeld, Esq.
President and Chief Executive Officer
CanAm Enterprises, LLC
32 Court Street, Suite 1501
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201
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12. CMB Export LLC
Approved: August 15, 1997
Reaffirmed by USCIS: April 18, 2007
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Address: Corona Professional Center, 400 S. Ramona Avenue, Suite 212AA, Corona, CA 91719
Phone/fax: 800-238-8022
Geographic Area: CMB Export LLC development area which is related to former military bases located in the counties of Sacramento, San Bernardino and Riverside CA
Focus of Economic Growth Activity: Export activity related to development of military bases; air cargo, sea port development as export centers
Point of Contact: Patrick F. Hogan, President, CMB Export LLC
4507 49th Avenue
Moline, Illinois 61265
Attorney, Lincoln Stone (Stone and Grzegorek, LLP)
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13. Global Century Development Group I, LP (Global Century)
Approved: April 18, 2007
Address: Global Century Development Group-I, LP
11205 Bellaire Blvd., SuiteB-33
Phone/fax:
Geographic Area: The contiguous geographic area of Houston’s Chinatown encompassing the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone #15 (TIRZ), a 60-block area bounded by Preston Street on the North, Dowling Street on the East, St. Joseph parkway on the South, and Chartres Street on the West.
Houston, TX 77072-2545
Focus of Economic Growth Activity: Financing and developing commercial and mixed-use real estate within the GCRC geographic area in the following five (5) target industries: Hotel and Hospitality; Retail; Mixed Use Residential; Commercial Office; Restaurant & Entertainment.
Points of Contact: Mr. Dan Nip, President
Global Century Development Group-I, LP
11205 Bellaire Blvd., SuiteB-33
Houston, TX 77072-2545
Mr. H. Richard Sindelar III, Esq.
Tindall & Foster, P.C.
600 Travis Street, Suite 2800
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Houston, TX 77002-3094
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14. Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC)
Approved: May 1, 2007
Address: 756 N. Milwaukee Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Phone/fax: 414-287-4100
Geographic Area: The seven (7) counties of southeastern Wisconsin: Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth, Washington, and Waukesha (including Targeted Employment Areas within the cities of Racine and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Focus of Economic Growth Activity: Business and professional services; Financial activities and business process services; Health services and medical technology; Manufacturing; Printing and printing support; Wholesale Trade and distribution; and Hospitality and Entertainment.
Point of Contact: Timothy R. Sheehy, President
Peter Beitzel, Vice President
Metropolitan Milwaukee Assoc. of Commerce
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15. Alabama Center for Foreign Investment (ACFI)
Approved: June 11, 2007
Address: RSA Union, 100 N. Union Street, Suite 682, 36104
P.O. Box 5079
Montgomery, AL 36103
Phone/fax: (334) 954-3111/(334) 954-3112
Geographic Area: State of Alabama
Focus of Economic Activity: Heavy and light manufacturing; agriculture; High technology; construction; Hospitality, resort and service industries (hotels, restaurants, resorts, golf courses, entertainment, and the like); Schools, health care facilities, and infrastructure; and Cruise line support services.
Point of Contact: Ronald Drinkard, Executive Director
Boyd Campbell, General Counsel
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16. Kansas Biofuel Regional Center, LLC
Approved: April 17, 2007
Address: Kansas Biofuel Regional Center, LLC
3250 Wilshire Blvd, Suite #1700
Los Angeles, CA 90010
Telephone: (213) 380-2828
Fax: (213) 380-0570
Geographic Area: Twenty-one (21) counties located in the southwest region of the State of Kansas.
Focus of Economic Growth Activity: Building and operation of fuel grade ethanol production facilities within the geographic bounds of the regional center.
Point of Contact: Justin M. Lee and Thomas E. Kent, Esqs.
17. Southwest Biofuels Regional Center, LLC (SWBRC)
Approved: June 21, 2007
Address: 3250 Wilshire Blvd, Suite #1700
Los Angeles, CA 90010
Phone/fax: 213-380-2898/213-380-0570
Geographic Area: The contiguous geographic area encompasses the 40 counties located in the northwest region of the State of Texas, and 9 counties located in the western region of the State of Oklahoma
Focus of Economic Activity: Development and operation of fuel grade ethanol production facilities.
Point of Contact: Justin M. Lee, President and CEO
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[Previously Designated Regional Center Now Under Suspension based on a USCIS issued “Intent to Terminate”, with a presently open period of time in which to respond with evidence, data and documentation necessary for reinstatement to avoid a final Action to Terminate]
Hawaii, Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism
Approved: October 26, 1995
Notification of Intent to Terminate Dated: March 30, 2007
Address: Hawaii State Department of Business,
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Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) No. 1 Capitol District Bldg., 5th Floor, Diamond Head Wing 250 South Hotel Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Phone/fax: 808-586-2355, Ext. 3033/586-2377
Geographic Area: Within the State of Hawaii
Contact: Christopher Baron
email: cbaron@dbedt.hawaii.gov
Focus of Economic Growth Activity: Tourism (Hawaii’s major export); industries Identified as export-related.
AS OF OCTOBER 19, 2007: REGIONAL CENTERS CURRENTLY PENDING RE-AFFIRMATION
1. Aero-Space Port International Group [ASPI Group]
Formerly Approved by Legacy INS: March 24, 1994
Address: 512 Strander Boulevard,
Tukwila, WA 98188;
5200 Southcenter Blvd. 98188-2383
Phone/fax: 206-241-8000; 243-3000
Geographic Area: Within ASPI Group, located at Grant County International Airport in Moses Lake
Focus of Economic Growth Activity: High tech, agricultural and other export products to Europe and Pacific rim countries through international air cargo facilities
Point of Contact: Andy Chen, Executive Vice President & CFO;
Kim Foster, Corporate Counsel
2. Unibex Global Corporation
Formerly Approved by Legacy INS: October 23, 1995
Address: 1201 Eleanor Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89106
Phone/fax: 702-646-7068; 646-7561
Geographic Area: Within UBC’s master-planned business center in North Las Vegas, Nevada.
Focus of Economic Growth Activity: International trade, distribution, tourism and export trade, including Southwest Indian art
Point of Contact: Otis R. Harris, Chairman and CEO, UGC; Karen Sit Dorfman 702-388-6649
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