Predium principal Mitch Wolff says Cingular is working to bringits customer-care operations back to US soil from off-shorelocations. The telecommunications giant has opened the first in thepipeline, a 75,000-sf, ground-up center on the Riverwalk in Pueblo,CO. The center, like the rest that are planned, will house 500 to600 employees. Cingular's guarantee is a 10-year lease.

Wolff says deals are being ironed out in Joplin, MO andDavenport, IA. In each case, the build-to-suit projects will beabout 75,000 sf to house similar-size customer-care groups."There's a fourth on the horizon, but we've not narrowed down thelocation," he tells GlobeSt.com.

Wolff and Predium's William Lacy surveyed 200 secondary andthird-tier markets, focusing on workforce skills and availability."What's most important is a qualified, educated labor force thatcan take customer service to a whole new level," Wolff stresses. Inaddition, Cingular's goal was to locate in cities where it would bethe "employer of choice" and "have a positive influence on thecommunity," he adds. In many cases, the cities had sustainedmanufacturing job losses so the replacement factor came intoplay.