< Previous94 JULY 2024 SITE SELECTION Macro Hub in August 2023. “Governor Abbott’s robust, pro- growth economic agenda has helped our company grow and prosper and we appreciate it greatly,” said Fernando Villanueva, CEO of Mid-Continent. “As a result, we’re able to expand both investments and jobs in Texas in a way that contributes to the strengthening of value chains, as well as to the generation of a resilient, inclusive and competitive economic region.” The facility serves as a strategic logistics point where steel production/ manufacturing from plants in several regions is consolidated, offering a broad portfolio of products in a single delivery, Mid-Continent said. “It will deliver to 45 U.S. states, with 40% of all shipments within Texas. The traffic of 2,600 monthly inbound and outbound trips will generate business/revenue for local and regional suppliers.” The company said it had already formed strategic alliances with nearly 60 trucking companies, among other businesses. “When you look at the size of this facility,” said Gov. Abbott, “it shows you what is needed to keep up with the size of demand for the steel and fencing products made and distributed here. This is spurred by the growth we have in Texas, and steel plays an important role in the building of the future of our state … Laredo plays a pivotal role for Texas ranking No. 1 for exports in the United States for 21 years in a row. This facility will help add to that trade.” Kilgore Is Here Among the six projects landing in Kilgore (part of the Longview metro area) were multiple investments totaling $43 million and 97 jobs from locally based fishing boat builder Skeeter Products, in business for more than 75 years. Also investing in Kilgore is Longview-based Keeprite Refrigeration, which has committed to a $53 million, 50-job project in Synergy Park, where the company broke ground at a 70-acre site in June. It’s the same park where New Jersey–based Camfil is investing $67 SITE SELECTION JULY 2024 95 million and planning to create 226 jobs over the contract term at a 420,000-sq.- ft. facility on 45 acres. As James Wright, the Marine Corps veteran who serves as directly of real estate and development for Kilgore Economic Development Corporation, stated on LinkedIn, “When you bring investment and jobs into your community, the only thing that can be more exciting is doing 2 projects at the same time!” Keeprite first considered relocating to Kilgore in 2017 but grew in place in Longview instead. Now it aims to occupy as much as 1 million sq. ft. in Synergy Park. The company has grown from 18 employees at its founding in 2008 to more than 150 today, a number that will surpass 200 as the relocation and expansion ensues. “The City of Kilgore and Kilgore College initially awarded abatement incentives to Tersco Property Management / Keeprite Refrigeration,” the announcement stated. “Gregg County joined in with more rebate-based tax incentives last fall, moving the project forward. Even with tax incentives in place, the project is still poised to generate an estimated $10.8 million in property tax revenue in the coming decade from the company’s expansion.” The company chose three employees to turn the dirt at ceremonies in June. “I think it says a lot about this company that all their employees are here for this groundbreaking,” Kilgore Mayor Ronnie Spradlin said at the groundbreaking, according to a report in the Kilgore 96 JULY 2024 SITE SELECTION P ositioned at the intersection of four states, Texarkana is also positioned for building on the success that has recently brought the region investments from such companies as New Hampshire-based Maverick Pipe ($20 million, 40 jobs), Pennsylvania- based rubber product manufacturer Palmer International ($10 million, 15 jobs) and Rowe Casa Organics. A catalyst for that positioning is TexAmericas Center, located on the combined footprint of the former Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant, which closed in 2005, and the Red River Army Depot, which is still an active military installation. The Center in January received a $1.5 million grant from the Texas Military Preparedness Commission’s (TMPC) Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant (DEAAG) program to enhance logistics capabilities at Red River. That news came on the heels of a new partnership with Texas A&M University-Texarkana that will allow employees of tenant businesses to receive discounted tuition towards classes at the university. Last year, TAC launched its Qualified Sites Program (QSP) that is intended to “improve on its brand promise of speed- to-market and Speed-to-Profit for companies interested in locating on its 12,000-acre industrial park in Northeast Texas.” Two sites are in position: The 67-acre Alamo Site is a near- shovel-ready, rail-served, greenfield development site situated on the TexAmericas Center East Campus (TAC East). “The Alamo Site provides not only convenient rail access, spotting and storage for companies that need it, but also easy access to multiple utilities and logistics options — both Union Pacific (UP) rail and major Interstates — as well as suitable soil for construction with the capacity to accommodate larger industrial development projects,” said TexAmericas CEO Scott Norton. The 22-acre Duke East Site is a shovel-ready, rail-served, greenfield development site also situated on the TexAmericas Center East Campus (TAC East) that, like the Alamo site, used to be a wooded buffer area. The site can accommodate a rail-served building of between 250,000 and 350,000 sq. ft. TEXARKANA CROSSROADSLeader Organization Website Email Phone Morse Haynes, Executive Director Andrews EDC www.andrewstxedc.org mhaynes@cityofandrews.org (432) 524-2332 Mark Willis, Executive Director Big Spring EDC www.bigspringtx.com markwillis@bigspringtx.com 432-264-6032 Amy Story, President/CEO Boerne Kendall County EDC www.bkcedc.com amy@bkcedc.com 830-331-9070 Janis Crawley, Executive Director Bowie Texas EDC www.bowietexasedc.com janis@bowietexasedc.com (940) 872-4193 Shannon Mumley, Assistant Director Buda EDC www.budaedc.com shannon@budaedc.com 512-295-2022 Kelsee Jordan Lee, Planning & ED Director Cibolo Texas EDC www.cibolotx.gov klee@cibolotx.gov 210-610-0018 Mindi Hurley, Dir. of Community Development & ED City of Coppell ED Division www.coppelltx.gov MHurley@coppelltx.gov 972-304-3677 Tony Kaai, President Denison Development Alliance www.denisontx.org tkaai@denisontx.org 903-464-0883 David Fowler, President Fairfield EDC www.fairfieldtx.com dfowler@fairfieldtx.com (903) 389-7059 Dave Quinn, Interim Community/EDManager Fairview EDC www.fairviewtexasedc.com dquinn@fairviewtexas.org 972-866-4222 William Myers, Executive Director Gainesville EDC www.gainesvilletxedc.com William@gainesvilletxedc.com 904-665-5241 Susan Sankey, Executive Director Gonzales EDC www.gonzalesedc.org gedc@gonzales.texas.gov (830) 672-2815 ext. 1600 John Clary, Executive Director Henderson EDC www.hendersonedc.com john@hendersonedc.com (903) 392-0447 Tammy Gann, ED Director City of Huntsville www.huntsvilletx.gov tgann@huntsvilletx.gov (936) 294-5793 Brenda Tarpley, Executive Director Jacksboro EDC www.jacksboroedc.com btarpley@jacksboroedc.com 940-567-3151 Traci Anderson, Executive Director Jarrell EDC www.jarrelledc.org t.anderson@cityofjarrell.com 512-746-4593 Lisa Denton, Executive Director Kilgore EDC www.Kilgore-edc.com ldenton@kilgore-edc.com 903 985 8117 Gene Lindgren, President and CEO Laredo EDC www.laredoedc.org glindgren@laredoedc.org (956) 722-0563 Lorie Vincent CEcD Lorie Vincent Lorie@accelerationbydesign.com Christian Fletcher, Executive Director Marble Falls EDC www.marblefallseconomy.com cfletcher@marblefallseconomy.com 830-798-7075 Rush Harris, Executive Director Marshall EDC www.marshalledc.org RushHarris@marshalledc.org (903) 934-8035 Jason Little, City Manager City of Melissa www.cityofmelissa.com JLittle@CityofMelissa.com (972) 838-2338 Nathan Tafoya, Executive Director Mount Pleasant EDC www.mpedc.org nathan@mpedc.org (903) 572-6602 Ramon Sanchez, City Manager Muleshoe EDC www.muleshoeedc.com rsanchez@muleshoetx.org 806.272.4528 Brittany Farr, Director of Economic & Community Engagement Rowlett EDC www.rowlettonthemove.com bfarr@rowlett.com 972-412-6100 Shani Bradshaw, Director of Economic Development Sanger www.sangertxedc.org sbradshaw@sangertexas.org (940) 458-9096 Jill Strube, Director, ED & Grants Admission City of Smithville www.smithvilletx.org jstrube@ci.smithville.tx.us 512-237-3282 x 2109 Chris Brown, Executive Director Sulphur Springs-Hopkins County EDC www.ss-edc.com chris@ss-edc.com 903-439-0101 Eric Voyles, Executive Vice President & Chief ED Officer TexAmericas Center www.texamericascenter.com eric.voyles@texamericascenter.com (903) 223-9841 Lisa Thompson, Economic Developer, External Affairs Officer City of Texarkana, Texas www.texarkanatexas.gov lisa.thompson@txkusa.org (903) 798-1743 Jeremy Pesina, Assistant Director Waco EDC www.waco-texas.com Jpesina@wacotx.gov (254) 750-7005 Jason Greiner, Executive Director Wylie EDC www.wylieedc.com jason@wylieedc.com (972) 442-7901 TEXAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONNECTION COMMUNITY CONTACTS 98 JULY 2024 SITE SELECTION and Subaru field service personnel, “will gain an additional classroom as part of the expansion to better support Subaru University (Subaru-U) and its local secondary and post- secondary automotive vocational initiatives.” Waco Waco’s four projects since 2023 may rank it fourth in total projects in this exercise, but it has snared the biggest kahuna of all, a planned $1 billion, 230-job recycled paperboard facility slated to ramp up production in 2026 and modeled after the company’s successful machine in Kalamazoo, Michigan that reached full capacity in 2023 just one year after coming online. Graphic Packaging CEO Mike Doss visited the Waco site last September and joined a team of leaders in signing the first piece of structural steel to be hung at the new facility — one of 2,600 pieces of steel required. “The main driver for the move is the end-use consumer,” Doss said. “They’re concerned about landfills filling up and pollution in general, and we take SITE SELECTION JULY 2024 99 those concerns very seriously. We’re responding with big investments in our coated recycled paperboard mill in Kalamazoo, and now this new greenfield mill in Waco.” The company said Waco was selected due to its “centric location in the Texas triangle. Situated within 200 miles of approximately 80% of the Texas population, the new mill will enjoy access to a strong supply of recycled fiber material from urban centers in the region. Graphic Packaging specializes in turning fiber into coated recycled board (CRB). “Today, a large percentage of our paperboard waste that we cannot recycle is exported,” Doss said. “Our Waco mill is designed to enable the recycling of 100% of our own internally generated paperboard side rolls and waste.” When complete, the cutting- edge facility will be able to recycle fiber from up to 15 million paper cups a day, the company said, boosting Graphic Packaging’s capacity to offer high-quality recycled paperboard to customers across the U.S. “I know this facility is going to be a great part of the Waco community,” Doss said. “It’ll help support that shift in society towards a circular economy — and that’s really exciting for us.” The I-35 bridge is shown at dusk as it is illuminated and reflects on the Brazos River in Waco. Photo by John McQuiston: Getty Images SITE SELECTION JULY 2024 101 A mid the headwinds confronting the Biden administration’s ambitious goals for offshore wind energy, Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project continues to move forward. The largest such project of its kind, CVOW is expected to produce 2.6 gigawatts of electricity, a sizable chunk of the administration’s goal of 30 gigawatts by 2030. In May, Dominion began installing foundations — known as monopiles — that will support 176 Siemens Gamesa wind turbines, each projected to produce 14 megawatts of energy from a wind field some 27 miles off the coast of Hampton Roads. That development followed the launch from Brownsville, Texas, of a costly and complex installation vessel whose eventual deployment is viewed as a major advancement. Through a byzantine set of circumstances, these two recent successes are closely related. The World War I-era Jones Act, a protectionist measure crafted to bolster domestic shipbuilding, mandates that goods shipped between domestic “points” be transported on ships that are built, owned and operated in the United States. Each monopile laid by Dominion creates such a point, its companion point being the port from which said vessel is launched. Named for a sea monster from Greek mythology, Dominion’s newly launched Charybdis aimed to be the nation’s first Jones Act-compliant vessel for installing offshore turbines (though Edison Chouest’s ECO Edison servicing the Ørsted Revolution Wind project off Rhode Island arrived there in June). The Charybdis cost $625 million to construct — more than $100 million higher than originally projected. Early on during a two-turbine, offshore pilot project, Dominion managed to end-run the Jones Act by utilizing ports in Canada as staging grounds for components shipped from Europe. An installation vessel made repeated trips from Nova Scotia to the offshore construction zone to install foundations and then the remaining turbine parts. “It worked for the two pilot turbines,” says Dominion spokesman Jeremy Slayton, “but for 176, that does not work.” Still, the company learned much through the roundabout pilot process. “It’s when we really decided that, look, there just aren’t a lot of vessels that can do the installation and we can create this reliable, homegrown installation solution with the capacity to handle the next generation of large-scale, highly efficient turbines. And that’s what we’re doing by building the OFFSHORE WIND Charybdis.” The company is holding talks to later lease the vessel for other offshore wind ventures. With a projected deployment late this year or early next, the Charybdis represents momentum in a challenging environment. Ørsted last year canceled its Ocean Wind projects off New Jersey’s coast and pulled out of an agreement with Maryland in order to negotiate better terms for its Skipjack projects off the Maryland coastline near Ocean City. What, then, is Dominion doing right that others aren’t? “What really separates our project from the other ones is we are both the electric utility and we’re building the project,” says Slayton. As such, he says, Dominion went through a lengthy approvals process with Virginia state regulators, whose financial audit required various supply chain and manufacturing contracts to be entered into up front. That, says Slayton, gave Dominion what turned out to be a fortuitous head start. “We had those contracts done,” Slayton says, “before interest rates went up and before all these supply chain issues arose. Our costs were already locked in, and so we haven’t been as impacted to the same extent as those other projects that weren’t.” by GARY DAUGHTERS gary.daughters@siteselection.com Keeping Up — with the — Jones Act Dominion’s “jack up” ship is closer to deployment. Rendering courtesy of Dominion Energy102 JULY 2024 SITE SELECTION Green’s on the Move For these ranked territories and the companies operating in them, prosperity and sustainability are not mutually exclusive. by ADAM BRUNS adam.bruns@siteselection.com 2024 SUSTAINABILITY RANKINGS C anada’s clean even as it continues to clean up with natural resources plays. Texas is a nexus for renewables as well as for oil and gas. And Austin’s longstanding sustainability ethos is, thankfully, not as weird as it used to be — sustainability has become a standard performance metric for places and employers worldwide. ose three places top the th annual edition of Site Selection’s Sustainability Rankings, which reveal the countries, U.S. states and U.S. metros cultivating the most fertile environment for a sustainable economy. e rankings are based on a unique index incorporating everything from green building square footage per capita and overall happiness to manufacturing of renewable energy products and a territory’s number of sustainability-oriented incentives and policies. For perspective on the sustainability leadership of some of our top-ranked territories I turned to Panu Pasanen, CEO and founder of Finland-based One Click LCA, a software platform used by such fi rms as Skanska, AECOM, Foster+Partners, LafargeHolcim and Saint Gobain for life-cycle assessment and environmental product declaration in construction and manufacturing. “ e Canadian federal government has introduced several mandatory policies for federal projects, including concrete carbon performance,” he says of our No. -ranked nation. “Two of the largest metros, Toronto and Vancouver, have municipal regulations that mandate and incentivize decarbonization of construction projects. In Vancouver, this also applies to re-zoning requests that must be more sustainable. at said, there is of course more work to do in other provinces and territories.” Meanwhile, the Nordic countries continue to lead the way globally on policy, he says, committing to regulations that limit carbon in new buildings and “driving forward a series of reforms on energy, including renewable energy, while adding new jobs Sweden’s continuing leadership in sustainability is illustrated by a unique “Mobility Hotel” green transport hub in Nordstan, a shopping and business center in Gothenburg, where bicycle transport company Pling off ers green last- mile-delivery. Photo by Philip Liljenberg courtesy of Business Region Göteborg SITE SELECTION JULY 2024 103 to the economy. Sweden has already decoupled carbon emissions from economic growth. And, based on the progress to date, it appears the Nordic countries are on the right track to replicate this in the near future.” He also says of our No. -ranked state, “California government has managed to institute statewide mandatory accounting for new construction in the form of CALGreen, the fi rst of its kind in the United States, as well as mandatory greenhouse gas disclosure regulation for large fi rms. California is driving legislation forward, which makes these kinds of practices stickier.” While such regulations at fi rst blush seem connected to the many reports of companies leaving the state, California continues to climb in Site Selection’s annual Governor’s Cup tally of corporate end-user facility investments, ranking No. for the past two years with a combined projects. Deep Data, Trustworthy Sources Exclusive data partners for the Sustainability Rankings include San Diego-based Measurabl, which again contributes to our location- based analytics from a proprietary database of building-level ESG data from more than billion sq. ft. of real estate across more than countries. “As in previous years, we at Measurabl are elated to see that, by and large, the trends that are materializing from our building and meter level data, the most comprehensive data source of its kind, are mirrored in similarly potent sources of data from across the globe as they’re ultimately synthesized for these rankings,” says Chad Boyle, business applications analyst at Measurabl. “Notable this year, however, is the emergence of a new heavy- hitter: Taiwan. I think the inclusion of Taiwan Our customers see that when they implement sustainable investments, they are able to get better anchor tenants, sometimes rent premiums, favorable mortgages and ability to de-risk portfolios without stranded assets.” — Panu Pasanen , CEO and Founder, One Click LCA materializing from our building and meter level Our customers see that when they implement sustainable tute e l as TOP 10 COUNTRIES 1. Canada 2. United States 3. Sweden 4. Spain 5. United Kingdom 6. Ireland 7. Australia 8. Germany 9. Taiwan 10. France Sources: CSRHub Rankings; 2024 World Happiness Index; LEED Certifi ed Buildings – USGBC, cumulative and per capita, May 2024; Renewable Energy Capacity – IRENA – MW and MW per capita, March 2024; Renewable Energy Deployment – EY, 2024; Ocean Health Index; 2024 World Happiness Index; Green Futures Index - Technology Review, April 2023; latest Measurabl Data on building-level energy effi ciency; latest Fitwel building certifi cation data, cumulative and per capita; Green Industry Projects (Conway Data Projects Database) as defi ned by federal NAICS industry codes considered part of green industry supply chain, Jan. 1, 2021, through March 31, 2024, cumulative and per capita. TOP 10 U.S. STATES 1. Texas 2. California 3. Colorado 4. North Carolina 5. Arizona 6. Virginia 7. Illinois 8. Oregon 9. Minnesota 10. Georgia Sources: CSRHub Rankings; LEED Certifi ed Buildings – USGBC, cumulative and per capita, May 2024; Energy Star Buildings, cumulative and per capita, January 2024; Renewable Energy Generation – EIA,, cumulative and per capita; Green Laws/Incentives, DSIRE, cumulative and per capita; Solar Census Jobs – IREC, 2022 published in 2023, cumulative and per capita; latest Measurabl Data on building-level energy effi ciency; latest Fitwel building certifi cation data, Center for Active Design, cumulative and per capita; Green Industry Projects (Conway Data Projects Database) as defi ned by federal NAICS industry codes considered part of green industry supply chain, Jan. 1, 2021, through March 31, 2024, cumulative and per capitaNext >