Incentives played a key role in IDEC's decision to locate the $1.25 billion, 2,400-employee pharmaceutical plant in Oceanside. Those incentives include $3.43 million in city building fee exemptions over 10 years, $5.3 million in municipal personal property tax rebates over 10 years, and a state Employment Training Panel subsidy of $450,000.

The top 10 deals for 2000 averaged 4,215 jobs created and $1.15 billion in capital investment--far above 1999's average of 3,334 jobs and capital investment of $305.5 million, according to the Atlanta-based magazine. The 2000 deals are profiled in the magazine's May issue and contain some of the world's best-known corporate names.

"Clearly, 2000 was a banner year for many economic developers, no matter how you look at it," says Site Selection Editor Ron Starner. Other winners include projects in Richmond, Va.; Lansing, Mich.; East Fishkill, N.Y.; Rio Rancho, N.M.; Dunfermline, Scotland; Canton, Miss.; Phoenix, Ariz.; Malvern, Pa. and Alpharetta, Ga.