Ever since Money magazine named sister cities Provo and Orem the best place to live in America, calls have poured into the joint Chamber of Commerce office.

The Provo/Orem chamber staff has fielded more than 200 calls during the past week from all over the country. The chamber has also received hundreds of letters from people wanting information about the area."It's been phenomenal response," said Vickie Utley, chamber administrative assistant. The chamber normally receives about 45 requests for relocation information a month.

Provo's Economic Development Office is also receiving calls from all over the country, according to Brent Drew, economic development technician.

Provo Mayor Joe Jenkins even received a congratulatory call from the mayor of the No. 2 city - Bremerton, Wash. Last year, Bremerton was No. 1.

"It (the ranking) did a lot for our city," said Louis Mentor, mayor of Bremerton, in a telephone interview. "It did a lot for the attitude of our people and their pride. It's the kind of advertising all over the world you just can't buy."

Betty Shelton, executive director of the Bremerton Chamber of Commerce, said her office was inundated with calls and letters when it had the No. 1 ranking a year ago.

"We absolutely almost went under," Shelton said. "It got very expensive."

This year, Shelton is content her city is No. 2 - and not subject to the intense interest Provo/Orem is now receiving. However, she said Bremerton is "every bit as good as last year."

Bremerton, like Provo and Orem, is a growing city, and it's hard to say how much growth in the past year was due to the Money magazine recognition, Shelton said.

"It may have been that some businesses took another look at us, but I can't say it attracted any big business," she said.

Jenkins believes the biggest boost may be in tourism.

"People will get out this way and say `Let's just drop by and see what Provo is,' " Jenkins said.

The majority of people contacting the Provo/Orem chamber are from the East and West coasts. They're people like Robert Jackson, of Moreno Valley, Calif. He describes his current hometown as "full of smog and too fast-paced for me."

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Jackson and his wife have two sons, ages 11 and 13, and they're concerned about gang activity in their area.

"I've been looking at moving my family from the bad atmosphere and crime (in California)," Jackson said in a telephone interview with the Deseret News. "I did read the Money magazine story and the area seemed appealing. It drew me to call (the chamber)."

He is impressed with the cities' low crime rate and cost of housing.

Jackson, who is a communications technician with Pacific Bell, is thinking about driving to Provo and Orem over the Labor Day weekend to see the area for himself and look over job opportunities.

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