Job tussle between states carries on

The Tar Heels and the Gators don't have much of an on-field rivalry in sports, but a battle between the respective states rages in economic development.

North Carolina has scored big in the recession, especially in luring manufacturing and boat building jobs out of Florida. Only late last month, for instance, Donzi Marine announced plans to close a Manatee County boat plant with 40 employees and transfer the work to North Carolina.

But Florida scored the latest victory Dec. 3 when Venice-based PGT Industries announced it would bring hundreds of jobs to Florida previously held in North Carolina, including 300 by the middle of next year. The announcement is part of the window-and-door manufacturer's consolidation strategy.