The Big Players

The USCIS list of approved Regional Centers has been updated twice this week (8/23 and 8/26), but not with any new centers. So I’ll take a moment to note a few players that sprawl through the list: American Life, a grand-daddy on the list (since 1996) and now behind ten Regional Centers around the country; CanAm Enterprises, which handles a relatively high volume of investment through its centers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, and Los Angeles; and America’s Center for Foreign Investment, currently the largest center geographically with an area covering most of five states.

American Life (www.amlife.us)
Principal: Henry Liebman

• Regional Center Properties, Inc.
  California (Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Riverside, Orange, and San Diego counties)
• Regional Center Management Los Angeles
  California (Los Angeles area)
• Riverside PUMA Area Regional Center
  California (Riverside County)
• American Life Investments, LLC
  Florida (Miami-Dade County)
• Atlanta EB5 Regional Center LLC
  Georgia (Atlanta MSA)
• Buffalo Regional Center
  New York (Buffalo-Niagara Metropolitan Statistical Area in Erie and Niagara Counties)
• American Life, Inc. – Lakewood Regional Center
  Washington (City of Lakewood)
• American Life Ventures Everett, Washington
  Washington (City of Everett)
• American Life Seattle RC | Gold Rainbow | Freedom Fund
  Washington and Oregon (Jackson County, OR and Seattle, WA)
• American Life Ventures, Tacoma, Washington
  Washington (City of Tacoma)

CanAm Enterprises (www.canamenterprises.com)

• Hawaii Regional Center
• Pennsylvania Regional Center
• Los Angeles Regional Center
• Philadelphia Regional Center

America’s Center for Foreign Investment, LLC (www.acfi-usa.com)
Principals: James DeBates, Boyd Campbell, Ron Drinkard

• Alabama (entire state)
• Tennessee (entire state)
• Mississippi (38 counties along the north, east, and south borders of the state)
• Georgia (52 counties in the north and center of the state)
• Florida (41 counties in the north of the state)

According to Michael Gibson of USAdvisors.org, of the over 100 Regional Centers only a handful of the largest centers account for about 90% of all EB-5 investment offerings. American Life reportedly claims up to 1/3 of all EB-5 investment, followed by the CanAm-managed regional centers, CMB, Vermont, South Dakota, CCAE, and (a more recent player) NYC Regional Center.

New Regional Centers (FL, NC, TN, UT)

Regional Center approvals are coming thick and fast, with four new centers posted this week on the USCIS list of approved Regional Centers (updated as of 8/16/2010). American Life Investments, LLC is the sixth new Regional Center in Florida this year (bringing Florida’s total to thirteen), and the tenth Regional Center for Henry Liebman, who also manages centers in Washington, Oregon, California, New York, and Georgia. Tennessee and Utah are making their first appearance on the list this week.

American Life Investments, LLC
Geographic Scope: Miami-Dade County, Florida
Industries: Commercial/Industrial Development; Public/Private Arrangements w/ the City of Miami, non-profits, Miami-Dade County or other entities to develop civic/public facilities and infrastructure; Renovation of functionally obsolete buildings preserving historical features; Mixed Use Developments, including retail, residential, apartments, and condominiums; and the Provision of Capital, loans or investment for businesses wishing to locate in the regional center area.

Florida EB5 Investments LLC Regional Center
Geographic Scope: State of Florida
Industries: Traveler Accommodations, Food Service & Drinking Places, Retail Trade, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Performing Arts, Construction, Wholesale, Finance, Insurance, Healthcare, Transportation & Warehouse, Administrative & Support Services and Information & Media

Tennessee Regional Center, LLC (www.EB5-invest.com)
Geographic Scope: State of Tennessee (28 Counties) and State of North Carolina (11 counties)
Industries: Accommodation and Food Services; Arts, Entertainment and Recreation; Construction of Buildings; and Retail Trade

Mountain States Center for Foreign Investment (www.mountainstatescenter.com)
Geographic Scope: Utah
Industries: Hospitality, resort and service industry; horse ranch development; high technology; health care services and innovation; entertainment; educational; and infrastructure

New Regional Centers (CA, FL, IN, NY, NC)

The USCIS list of approved Regional Centers, updated as of 8/4/2010, includes the following new centers added this summer:

California Green Regional Center (www.cagreenrc.com)
Geographic Scope: California Counties of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Kern & Riverside
Industries: Utility, Agriculture, Food Processing, Office & Residential Building, Scientific Research & Education, Hospitality, Retail, Food Service, and Entertainment  & Recreational

Northern California Regional Center, LLC (www.eb5northerncalifornia.com)
Geographic Scope: California counties of Colusa, Butte, Glenn, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sutter, Tehama, Yuba and Yolo
Industries: Dairy Cattle and Milk Production

Velocity Regional Center (www.v-regionalcenter.com)
Geographic Scope: California Counties of San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Fresno, Kings, Kern, Ventura, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, and Imperial

Mirzam Investor Green Card Regional Center
Geographic Scope: South and Central Florida- the Florida counties of Citrus, Hernando, Sumter, Lake, Orange, Brevard, Indian River, Osceola, Polk, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, Hardee, Desoto, Highlands, Okeechobee, St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach, Glades, Hendry, Charlotte, Lee, Collier, Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe.
Industries: Aquaculture-Shellfish Farming NAICS Code 112512

Midwest Center for Foreign Investment, LLC
Geographic Scope: Indiana: Counties of Jefferson, Nelson, Oldham, Hardin, Bullitt, Shelby, Meade, Henry, Trimble, Caroll, Spencer, Marion, Breckinridge, Larue, Grayson, & Washington; Indiana: Counties Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Washington, Jefferson, Scott, & Crawford
Industries: Agriculture., Bioscience, Green Energy, Manufacturing & Warehousing, Health Care, Retirement Communities, Medical Banking, e-Health, Data Centers for Regional Health Information Organizations, and Health Information Exchanges, Advanced Technology and Scientific Development, Leisure, Recreation, Hospitality Tourism and Service Industries, Construction, Retail, Commercial, Residential and Office Development

New York Immigration Fund, LLC
Geographic Scope:  New York counties of the Bronx, Kings, Queens, Richmond and New York
Industries:  Capital loans & investments; building renovation; real estate development (mixed use); hospitality; industrial space; conference space; U.S. Customs Bonded warehouse services; nursing homes; assisted living facilities; health services & medical technology; manufacturing; and technology

Atlantic Regional Center for Foreign Investment, LLC (ARCFi)
Geographic Scope: North Carolina from Interstate 77 East (72 counties)
Industries: biotech pharmaceutical life sciences; advanced/applied materials; industrial shipping/transportation; and mixed-use development utilizing sustainable methods of traditional industries (manufacturing and real estate)