The Brookings Institution, among the nation’s most-influential policy groups, ranks Baton Rouge No. 8 among the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan areas for economic performance during the recession.  In the study released today, New Orleans ranks in the second-worst tier of cities — Brookings ranks them in groups of 20 — because some data dates back to pre-Hurricane Katrina periods when Louisiana’s largest city enjoyed greater prosperity and a bigger population. 

For Baton Rouge, the Brookings findings echo what the region’s chamber has been telling business prospects for months: Things are better here. “This is the most comprehensive study we’ve seen, and it validates how strong our economy really is,” said Adam Knapp, chief executive of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, which has scrutinized every blip in the economy since September for signs of the 18-month recession’s encroachment into the region.

Source: Advocate, 6-22-09