On January 18th 2011, National Public Radio published an article by Vermont Public Radio reporter Charlotte Albright, titled: “Resort Draws Investors With Immigrant Visa Program.”
In the report, Albright illustrates the struggle for American developers to raise capital through classic domestic channels. She implies that lenders have been acting in a more conservative manner when judging new loan applicants. Albright theorizes that this has opened the door for the EB-5 program to play a major role in project funding, stating that, “As American banks are keeping a tighter grip on their wallets, more and more equity capital is coming through another door – from wealthy immigrants.”
Recent economic instability has led the banking industry to be more scrupulous. The Program has allowed businesses to find alternate sources for necessary funds. Without these sources, many worthwhile projects would go unfunded. Albright notes that foreign investors participating in the Program have, “brought more than $1 billion into American Businesses, generating tens of thousands of jobs.”
[PDF copy of the article referenced is available upon request: info@iiusa.org]
