The American Red Cross will create 440 new jobs at its 61,500-square-foot call center in Charlotte, North Carolina, The Charlotte Business Journal reports. The employees will coordinate appointments for potential blood donors.

"Charlotte was selected through an extensive process that examined labor availability, labor cost, real estate conditions, and economic incentive climate," Debra Estes, communications director for the Red Cross, told the Journal.

The Charlotte City Council fast-tracked a rezoning change that will permit parking on an empty 10-acre site for the organization. North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue said the project demonstrated the extent of the state's economic recovery.

"We have been successful in recruiting companies to the state because of our team approach, which in this case included job training assistance offered by the state," Perdue said.