< Previous118 SEPTEMBER 2018 SI T E S E L E C T IO NGrayling, Michigan, boasts the nation’s largest National Guard training site, which makes it a military town. With its rivers, lakes and four-season climate, it’s a tourist town. Its abundant forests and local operations by Weyerhaeuser and Georgia Pacific also make it a wood products town.“We’re in the middle of the woods, and the industry’s grown from there,” says Rick Harland, supervisor of Grayling Charter Township, population 7,000. Noting the town’s remote northern location, Harland observes that, “We’ve always kind of just existed. We’re hoping that all these new jobs will help our local businesses to not just sustain but to actually flourish, as well.”The new jobs are coming courtesy of Chile-based Arauco, one of the world’s top makers of particleboard for the furniture industry. Arauco is making a $450 million investment in Grayling in the form of a high-tech manufacturing plant that’s to go on line in the fourth quarter of this year. Arauco will employ at least 210 people, immediately making it Grayling’s third largest employer.“It’s a really big deal for Grayling,” says Harland.How the deal came together is a testament to teamwork, diligence and Michigan’s commitment to economic growth through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the state’s premier utility, Consumers Energy.“Consumers was there from the beginning,” says Jake Elston, vice president of operations for Arauco North America, of the 18-month site selection process that saw Michigan chosen over South Carolina, northern California, Oregon and other parts of the Upper Midwest.A “Critical” BoostAt 820,000 sq. ft. (76,180 sq. m.), the new plant will be one of the largest of its kind globally. It will feature North America’s biggest continuous Consumers Energy helps bring jobs to a town in northern Michigan.by G ARY DAUGHTERSgar y.daug hter s @ site s ele c tion.c omINVESTMENT PROFILE:CONSUMERS ENERGYArauco is building a $450million particleboard millin Grayling, Michigan.Assistance from ConsumersEnergy paved the way forthe project, which will be thelargest of its kind in the world.Source: Arauco North America S I T E S E L E C T I O N SEPTEMBER 2018 119particleboard press at feet ( m.) and have an annual capacity of million sq. ft. (, sq. m.). e plant, says Arauco, will pull up to megawatts of electricity, which made power costs a big part of the site selection equation. “Power supply was critical,” says Elston. “It’s critical to any industrial manufacturing operation. We had to be competitive with the other regions as we looked to Grayling. Consumers Energy did a great job in making some adjustments and understanding how large consumers such as us t into the mix. It was certainly a critical element in picking Michigan.”Je Mayes has worked on a number of such projects as Consumers Energy’s director of economic development.“Our team’s goal,” says Mayes, “is to attract new investment to Michigan. We have dedicated ourselves to retaining and supporting existing customers and gaining new ones.”Meeting Multiple Needs ere were several obstacles that needed to be overcome. One of the states competing for the Arauco plant o ered subsidized electric rates, signaling that Michigan’s rate would have to be highly competitive. In addition, high-power electric lines would have to be run some two miles to the site in Grayling, a potentially costly and time-consuming endeavor. Over the course of many months, the Consumers Energy team listened to Arauco’s needs and overcame each hurdle. “In addition to energy,” says Mayes, “they have other utility needs — water and sewer — but they also have talent needs, they have logistics needs, so working together to make sure energy ts all those other important business needs is something we worked very hard on.”In the end, Consumers not only o ered a competitive electric rate, but also demonstrated the likelihood of lower energy costs in the future. e proposal included a solution to Arauco for the two miles of new kV power lines and substation that would be required, saving the company nearly $ million in capital costs.“ e level of engagement by the Consumers Energy team was phenomenal,” says Paul Krepps, who worked on the project as Global Business Attraction Manager for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. “ ey coordinated very e ectively with us and acted as the problem-solvers-in-chief in terms of energy solutions.”Says Elston: “Consumers was responsive and kept to their proposed timelines. e importance of this happening as planned can’t be overemphasized with a construction project of this magnitude.” e State of Michigan o ered Arauco a mix of tax exemptions and discretionary incentives, the big one being a Forest Products Processing incentive, which is expected to save Arauco nearly $ million in state and local taxes over a -year period. e Michigan Department of Natural Resources sold acres of land to Arauco, and Consumers Energy o ered new construction incentives to o set Arauco’s infrastructure costs, bolstering Arauco’s con dence in signing a longer-term, full service contract.For Arauco, choosing Michigan turned into an easy call.“We really ended up in the right spot,” says Elston. “Consumers was always there to make sure we were making the right decisions for ourselves.” Consumers was responsive and kept to their proposed timelines. e importance of this happening as planned can’t be overemphasized with a construction project of this magnitude.”—Jake Elston, VP of Operations, Arauco North America is Investment Pro le was prepared under t he auspices of Consumers Energy. For more information, contact Je Mayes at -- or je rey.mayes@cmsenergy.com. On the web, go to www.ConsumersEnergy.com/econdev.120 SEPTEMBER 2018 SI T E S E L E C T IO NUTILITIES DIRECT ORY AL A B AM AAlabama Power Company600 North 18th St.Birmingham, AL 35203Ken NovakV.P. Econ. & Cmty. Dev.205-257-2397amazingalabama.comAR IZ ON ASRP Electric-Salt River Project1521 N. Project Dr.Tempe, AZ 85281Karla Moran, Dir. ED949-851-2300PowerToGrowPHX.comAR K ANS A SBlack Hills Energy1811 Borick Dr.Fayetteville, AR 72703Marshall Moody, Bus. Dev.479-582-7884blackhillsenergy.comEntergy Arkansas425 W. Capitol Ave. 27th FloorLittle Rock, AR 72201Danny Games, Dir. Bus. & ED501-377-4474goentergy.com/arkansasThis directory presents contact and Web information for Canadian economic development agencies and utilities associated with provinces and selected municipalities. For more communities and information, please visit our comprehensive online directories at www.siteselection.com. To update listings, contact Karen Medernach, editorial database manager, at karen.medernach@conway.com.Blue entries indicate IAMC member organizations.Orange Squares indicate the listing is an advertiser in this issue S I T E S E L E C T I O N SEPTEMBER 2018 121C ALIF OR NI APacifi c Gas & Electric111 Stony Circle Santa Rosa, CA 95401Armando NavarroED Specialist707-577-7293pge.comSacramento MunicipalUtility District 6201 S. Street, M.S. B401Sacramento, CA 95817Mather KearneyEcon. Dev. Coordinator916-732-5650smud.orgSouthern California Edison6042-A North Irwindale Ave.Irwindale, CA 91702Michael Nuby, Mgr.626-812-7351sce.comC OL OR ADOBlack Hills Energy96 County Road 160Glenwood Springs, COJohn Moore, Mgr. Customer Solutionsblackhillsenergy.comD. C .Washington Gas a WGL Company101 Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20080Jerry T. Sanford, ED Mgr.240-417-5922wgl.comFL OR ID AFlorida Power & LightNextEra Energy, Inc. 700 Universe Blvd. CEA-JBJuno Beach, FL 33408Crystal Stiles, Dir. ED561-694-4112poweringfl orida.comGulf Power CompanyOne Energy Place, Bin 601Pensacola, FL 32520Rick Byars, Cmty. & ED Gen. Mgr.877-444-6750gulfpower.com/GrowOrlando Utilities CommissionReliable Plaza 100 W. Anderson St.Orlando, FL 32801Roseann Harrington, V.P.407-423-9018ouc.comGE OR GI AAtlanta Gas LightTen Peachtree Place, 14th Floor Atlanta, GA 30309Cofi eld WidnerDir. External Aff airsatlantagaslight.comElectric Cities of Georgia75 5th St. NW. #850Atlanta, GA 30308Daryl Ingram, V.P.770-563-0321locationgeorgia.comGeorgia Electric Membership Corporation75 5th St. NW, STE 710Atlanta, GA 30308Pat B. Merritt, VP Cmty. & ED404-521-7611ga-sites.comGeorgia Power75 Fifth St., NW, # 175Atlanta, GA 30308Jonathan Sangster, Gen. Mgr.404-506-4263SelectGeorgia.comMEAG Power1470 Riveredge Parkway, NWAtlanta, GA 30328Paul Warfel, Dir., Gov. & Corporate Aff airs678-644-3523meagpower.comNorth Georgia EMC1850 Cleveland HighwayDalton, GA 30721Harriette M. Stokes, Dir. Exec. Account Mgmt. and ED706-259-3394 x1215ngemc.comID AHOIdaho Power Company1221 W. IdahoBoise, ID 83702Dan RielyExec. V.P. of Operations208-388-2200idahopower.comILLIN OISComEdThree Lincoln Centre 3rd FloorOakbrook Terrace, IL 60181Ed Sitar, Bus. Dev. Mgr.630-437-2571comed.com/econdevINDI AN ADuke Energy Indiana1000 E. Main St.Plainfi eld, IN 46168Erin Schneider, Dir. ED317-838-1069locationindiana.com 122 SEPTEMBER 2018 SI T E S E L E C T IO NHoosier Energy Rural Electric Cooperative2501 South Cooperative WayBloomington, IN 47402Harold Gutzwiller, Mgr. ED812-876-2021hoosiersites.comIndiana Municipal Power Agency11610 North College Ave .Carmel, IN 46032Raj Rao, President317-573-9955impa.comI O WAAlliant Energy200 First St SE Cedar Rapids, IA 52401Mark Seckman, SR. ED Mgr.319-786-4392alliantenergy.comBlack Hills Energy1205 SW 37th St.Grimes, IA 50111Mike Fastenau, Program Mgr. ED515-343-2012blackhillsenergy.comK ANS A SBlack Hills Energy601 N. Iowa StreetLawrence, KS 66044Lezli Root, Mgr. Customer Solutions785-832-3925blackhillsenergy.comK EN T UC K YLG&E and KU Energy220 W. Main St.Louisville, KY 40202Lisa Payne, ED Exec.502-627-4955lge-ku.comL OUISI AN ACleco Power, LLC2900 E. CausewayApproach, Ste. CMandeville, LA 70448Michael W. Sibley, Principal Bus. Dev.985-624-3236cleco.comEntergy Louisiana9585 Pecue LaneBaton Rouge, LA 70810Eduard ‘Ed’ Jimenez, Dir. Bus. & ED225-763-6010goentergy.comEntergy New Orleans1600 Perdido St. Bldg. 505ENew Orleans, LA 70112Steve Molnar, Project Mgr., Bus & ED504-670-3635goentergy.comMIC H IG ANConsumers Energy1 Energy PlazaJackson, MI 49201Jeff Mayes, Dir. ED Strategy517-788-1239cmsenergy.comMINNE S O T AMinnesota Power 30 W. Superior St.Duluth, MN 55802Nancy Norr, Dir. Regl. Dev.218-723-3913mnpower.comMIS SIS SIP P ICooperative Energy 201 N President St.Jackson, MS 39201Mitch Stringer, ED Mgr.601.261.2354cooperativeenergy.comEntergy Mississippi308 E. Pearl St.Jackson, MS 39201Ed Gardner, Jr., Dir. Bus. & ED601-969-2470goentergy.com/mississippiMississippi Power Company2992 West Beach Blvd.Gulfport, MS 39502Brian Useforge, ED Dir.228-865-5824megamississippi.comNEBR A SK ABlack Hills Energy1600 WindhoekLincoln, NE 68501Cheryl Brandenburgh, Mgr. ED402-858-3559blackhillsenergy.comNebraska Public Power District1414 15th St.Columbus, NE 68602Mary Plettner, ED Mgr.402-563-5534econdev.nppd.comOmaha Public Power District 444 South 16th Street MallOmaha, NE 68102Tim O’Brien, Mgr. ED402-440-2114oppd.comNE V AD ANV Energy 6100 Neil Rd., M/S S2A41Reno, NV 89511Jeff Brigger, Mgr. ED775-834-5742nvenergy.com/econdevNE W ME XIC OPNM414 Silver Avenue SWAlbuquerque, NM 87102Ron Darnell, Sr. V.P., Public Safety505-241-2782pnm.comNE W Y OR KNational Grid300 Erie Boulevard West Syracuse, NY 13202Joseph D. RussoLead Program Mgr.315-428-6798shovelready.comS I T E S E L E C T I O N SEPTEMBER 2018 123Rochester Gas & Electric89 East Ave, 3rd FloorRochester, NY 14649Joe Rizzo, Regl. Mgr. ED585-724-8165rge.comNORTH CAROLINADuke Energy Carolinas526 S. Church St. ECO3ZDCharlotte, NC 28202Stuart “Stu” Heishman,V.P. Econ. & Bus. Dev.704-382-7195considerthecarolinas.comElectriCities of North Carolina, Inc.Box 29513Raleigh, NC 27626Brenda Daniels, Mgr. ED919-760-6000electricities.comOH IOAEP (American Electric Power)1 Riverside Plaza, Fl. 12Columbus, OH 43215Mark J. James, V.P. Econ. & Bus. Dev.614-716-2396aeped.comAmerican Municipal Power1111 Schrock Road #100Columbus, OH 43229Robert DeWitt, Dir. Bus. Dev.614-540-0849amppartners.orgFirstEnergy Corp76 S. Main Street, 18th FloorAkron, OH 44308Melissa Frank, Sr. ED Exec.330-436-4122fi rstenergycorp.com/fehome.html Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives6677 Busch Blvd.Columbus, OH 43229Dennis Mingyar, ED Dir.614-430-7876ohioec.orgP ENNS YL V ANI APECO Energy Company2301 Market Street, S24-1Philadelphia, PA 19103Edward A. Piscopo, Regl. Dir. 215-841-5411peco.comSOUTH CAROLINADuke Energy Carolinas40 West Broad Street – Suite 69Greenville, SC 29601Steven WestDirector, SC ED864-370-5164ConsiderTheCarolinas.comSantee Cooper1 Riverwood Dr.Moncks Corner, SC 29461Yates Reynolds, ED Rep.843-826-5010santeecooper.com SCANA Corporation2392 W. Aviation Ave. MC: CH75Cayce, SC 29033Tammy L. Coghill, Mgr. ED803-217-8537scana.com South Carolina Power Team1201 Main Street, Suite 1710Columbia, SC 29201James Chavez, Pres./CEO803-254-9211scpowerteam.comS OU T H D AK O T ABlack Hills Energy409 Deadwood Ave.Rapid City, MT 57702Mutch Usera, Program Mgr. Com.605-716-3951blackhillsenergy.comT ENNE S SEETennessee Valley Authority26 Century Blvd.Nashville, TN 37214John Bradley, Sr. V.P. ED615-232-6225TVAsites.comTE X A SAmerican Electric Power, Texas400 West 15th Street, #1500Austin, TX 78701Ray Covey, State Mgr. Econ. & Bus. Dev.512-391-2981aeptexas.comCenterPoint EnergyBox 1700 Mail Code CNP Tower, Room 973Houston, TX 77251Ms. Stephanie Wiggins, Regional Mgr.713-207-6033centerpointenergy.comEntergy Texas10055 Grogans Mill RoadThe Woodlands, TX 77380Steve Pilgrim, Dir. Bus. & ED281-297-2204goentergy.com/texasOncor Electric Delivery1616 Woodall Rodgers, Fwy. #5D-004Dallas, TX 75202Mike Cain, Dir. ED214-486-6323thinkbigthinktexas.comV IR GINI ANTCA-The Rural Broadband Assoc.4121 Wilson Blvd. #1000Arlington, VA 22203Laura Withers, Dir. of Communications703-351-2087ntca.orgW Y OMIN GBlack Hills Energy9880 Venture Dr.Cheyenne, WY 82001Bret Jones, Mgr. Customer Solutions605-721-1709blackhillsenergy.com 124 SEPTEMBER 2018 SI T E S E L E C T IO NINVESTMENT PROFILE:HOOSIER ENERGYHigh-speed internet service brings immediate results to Hoosier Energy co-op territories, at a watershed moment for rural economic development.The Town of Nashville, Indiana, sits minutes from Indiana University in Bloomington to the west and civic architecture gem Columbus to the east. But there’s not much sitting around going on in the community of ,, where more than $ million in facility development is underway.A new performing arts center is rising. So is a new distillery, brewery and restaurant complex in an expanded -acre downtown district. And, literally underneath it all, more than $ million in broadband infrastructure is being installed, thanks to a confl uence of new state laws, a USDA smart grid loan and eager service providers such as South Central Indiana Rural Electric Membership Corporation (SCI REMC) and Jackson County REMC, two of the electric distribution cooperatives served by Hoosier Energy in central and southern Indiana and southeastern Illinois.A study released in May by the Purdue Center for Regional Development found that the fi ve-county southern Indiana region could see a potential economic benefi t of $ million over years if all currently underserved households had access and subscribed to broadband service.It’s an urgent national issue. But local solutions in Indiana are showing the nation a way forward. Key legislative measures enabled communities to declare broadband investments tax-exempt in perpetuity, and allowed service providers such as SCI REMC and Jackson County REMC to use their existing infrastructure to deploy it. ose laws were key to sparking the fi ber now unspooling across the region, which could help reverse population decline, repopulate school systems and therefore fi ll jobs and new housing properly equipped with technology that’s skipped from yesterday to tomorrow — speeds are available at up to gigabit per second, or times the national average. “It’s a big deal,” says Nashville Town Manager and Economic Development Manager Scott Rudd of the new service to some , homes and businesses. e broadband amenity — which most now would categorize as a necessity — raises the quality of life in an area lacking little in that respect, from Brown County State Park and by ADAM BRUNSadam.br uns @ site s ele c tion.c om S I T E S E L E C T I O N SEPTEMBER 2018 125Not having adequate broadband connectivity today is equivalent to missing out on a railroad or four-lane highway last century.”—Roberto Gallardo, Assistant Director, Purdue Center for Regional DevelopmentNot having today is equivalent to missing out on a This Investment Profile was prepared under the auspices of Hoosier Energy. For more information, visit www.hoosiersites.com, or contact Harold Gutzwiller at (812) 876-0294.Bustling towns such as Nashville will bustle even more with high-speed broadband.Photo courtesy of Town of Nashvilleover , acres of additional public land to the artisans and destination venues in the town, located within minutes of Indianapolis. “You can get away and commute in when necessary,” Rudd says, “but people want to live here and telecommute around the world.” Not only are area home buyers bringing wealth to the community, “they’re also highly entrepreneurial in nature, and might start businesses or become angel investors.”A new wave of broadband-enabled entrepreneurs sounds promising. But bigger fi rms benefi t too. Brownstown Quality Tool & Automation got an early connection, and large AutoCAD fi les that used to take hours to process now take seconds. Egg producer Rose Acre Farms will benefi t from better connectivity among its string of facilities. “It’s nice to hear it from the actual owner of the business,” says Mark McKinney, general manager of Jackson County REMC, which also is introducing more smart grid technology to its electric distribution system.Speed ThrillsNow the only obstacle is connecting people fast enough. “Our feasibility study indicated a -percent take-up rate at the end of year one,” McKinney says. “We just started hooking up people in May, and we are at percent.” He likens it to the take-up rate when electricity came to the area in the s, when Jackson County REMC’s fi rst board secretary, S. J. Brewer, told the assembled at a meeting, “It strikes me that this is the time, and that it’s now or never.”Total investment in the overall project will top $ million across Jackson County REMC’s ,-member territory. e $.-million Phase was just launched by Jackson Connect, the not-for-profi t division of Jackson County REMC. Jackson County Industrial Development Corporation Executive Director Jim Plump calls the investment “absolutely something we have to do” to improve quality of place and, oh yeah, help students to their homework.“School is opening today, and this will be the fi rst year this will be in place in some of the homes,” Plump says. “I know some parents with kids in school who live in rural areas of the county, and they are thrilled to death they will have this opportunity.” So are farmers accessing data from their high-tech equipment in the fi elds.“Years ago the questions would be about the size of the water, sewer or gas line or the capacity of the electric utility provider,” Plump says. “ ose questions are important now too, but companies assume in a community with industry that those basic things are in place.” Fiber does more than remove doubts: It also introduces the possibility of targeting diff erent industry niches such as data centers. “It fi ts perfectly in our overall strategy to continue to grow our industrial base,” says Plump, in an area where advanced manufacturing employs around one-third of the workforce.“Our goal is to have over , miles of fi ber completed in less than fi ve years,” says McKinney. Phase means miles and some , homes and businesses. “We’re currently on target to get it completed in closer to four years,” he says, with hiring plans ramped up and contractors hooking up homes and businesses a month. Some of those homes are known to belong to a few of the state’s more notable individuals from Indiana sports and business arenas, who fi nd maintaining a low profi le and just being themselves an attractive notion. Bringing in high-speed fi ber allows thousands more to do the opposite: Raise the profi le of their endeavors and, in the process, make a region now wired for growth that much more attractive to investors. 126 SEPTEMBER 2018 SI T E S E L E C T IO NAtlanta’s skyline is about to get a signature addition, but not in the Georgia capital’s downtown, midtown or even Buckhead neighborhoods. thyssenkrupp Elevator announced plans in July to build a new headquarters and 420-foot (128-meter-) tall elevator qualification and test tower in Cobb County near The Battery Atlanta and SunTrust Park, where the Atlanta Braves now play home games. The test tower will be the tallest of its kind in the U.S. and one of the tallest in the world. With 18 shafts, the Innovation Complex test tower can be used to trial new concepts and product pilots, including high-speed elevators, the two-cabins-per-shaft elevator system, TWIN, as well as the world’s first rope-less and sideways-moving elevator system, MULTI. In addition, the test tower will also conduct tests to ensure compliance with stringent safety requirements on standard elevators.The location of the complex, which will be built in conjunction with the Braves Development Company, is one of the busiest in the Atlanta metro with Interstates 75 and 285 intersecting and substantial new capital investment nearby, including Mercedes-Benz’s recently opened North American headquarters. The thyssenkrupp Elevator Americas Complex will house more than 900 full-time employees, or approximately 6 percent of thyssenkrupp Elevator Americas’ total workforce across North America. Completion is scheduled for 2022.“Atlanta is synonymous with mobility and innovation, and this move gives us one complex in a national hotbed of innovation that will allow us to serve our customers better than anyone in the industry, while providing a high quality of life for our employees,” said Rich Hussey, CEO of thyssenkrupp Elevator Americas.Added thyssenkrupp Elevator CEO, Andreas Schierenbeck: “Our new test tower in Atlanta will be a testimony to thyssenkrupp’s commitment to investing in its global network of innovation centers, which all have forged ever-deepening ties with students and universities nearby,” he said. “Within our network of spectacular high-speed test towers in Germany and China, the new facility in Atlanta will be the third laboratory for futuristic technologies such as the world›s first rope-less elevator, MULTI, and the proven high capacity, two cabins per shaft elevator, TWIN.Atlanta is already home to the first TWIN elevator system in North America, which features two cars arranged on top of each other operating independently in a single shaft. The Elevator engineers may soon be among those with birdseye views of major league baseball games.by MARK ARENDmar k .ar end@ site s ele c tion.c omSOUTHEAST S I T E S E L E C T I O N SEPTEMBER 2018 127new technology is being installed in the Coda Building at Georgia Tech with completion expected early in 2019.Where People Want to BeNot everyone gets to work on such a project in their corporate real estate career. One project participant, Chris Watts, managing director at JLL in Chicago, refers to it as “one of the most ex-citing” he’s worked on so far. “Having spent a lot of time on manufacturing location selection with heavy job counts in mainly rural geographies, this one’s in a sub-market of Atlanta,” he notes. “But the site selection process began by looking at rural locations, partly because the client’s existing facil-ity in the state is rural, as are other facilities they have around the world.” Eight states from the East and South to the Midwest were in the running initially, and site costs, engineering talent and airport access were among the key location drivers, Watts relates. At one point in the process, a non-rural, more accessible site framework was suggested and agreed to, and the scope went from being primarily an R&D project to the complex now planned. The in-town option makes even more sense in the context of employees and access for those visiting the center, particularly city inspection and regulatory agency personnel involved in elevator certification. A similar project in rural Germany is turning into a destination, says Watts, and that will be true even more so near The Battery development on the north side of Atlanta. “At every other site we looked at, the idea was to imagine what our development would do to bring the location along. But this opportunity was more about what already exists and how complementary what we are doing would be there. There is a magnetic feeling to The Battery,” he notes. “There are peo-ple there all the time. Even though it’s new, there is a core to it, and community building going on around it. My sense is that that area was starved for a center where people could gather, and The Battery is it. That’s why we chose to go there — it’s a location people already want to be.” A rendering of the thyssenKrupp Elevator Americas Complex planned for Cobb County, Georgia Image courtesy of thyssenkrupp ElevatorNext >