< PreviousW hat began a dozen years ago as a dream to transform a large tract of farmland in south Louisiana into a modern industrial park has emerged this year as a major economic development force in the South. RiverPlex MegaPark in Ascension Parish is no longer just a vision or a plan. It is a thriving commercial park that is attracting some of the largest capital investments on the planet and is now fi rmly on the radar of every site selector. At ,-plus acres, RiverPlex is the largest tract of undeveloped industrial property on the Mississippi River, but it is not going to stay that way for long. anks to two massive corporate facility investments announced this spring, RiverPlex is about to become the epicenter of advanced manufacturing on the Gulf Coast. e twin investments are coming from Hyundai Steel Company of South Korea and CF Industries of Northbrook, Illinois. Together, they represent nearly $ billion worth of new plants and , jobs coming to this parish of , people minutes south of Baton Rouge and an hour west of New Orleans. None of it would be possible without RiverPlex, says Kate MacArthur, president and CEO of Ascension Economic Development Corporation (AEDC). “Industrial growth like this doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of smart planning, long-term vision, and people working together to create opportunity where it’s needed most.” Ascension Parish has long been a mainstay in logistics and manufacturing in the South. Split by the Mississippi River, the parish is now the site of one of the biggest game-changing industrial parks in the world. But it wasn’t always that way. e eastern portion of the parish had fl ourished for decades while progress bypassed the West Bank. e West Bank Industrial Overlay in RiverPlex was created in to establish expedited re-zoning, as the current use of the land is agriculture. Among the core benefi ts of RiverPlex are access to the Union Pacifi c mainline; two possible deep-draft dock locations on site; available land; nearby industrial services; state and community support including incentives; and access to a strong regional chemical cluster. RiverPlex MegaPark development opportunities are enormous, says MacArthur. e undeveloped land covers miles of Mississippi River frontage and docks. e overlay district includes , acres of light industrial, , acres of medium industrial and , acres of heavy industrial uses. It also includes acres for mixed use. INVESTMENT PROFILE: ASCENSION PARISH, LOUISIANA Why RiverPlex MegaPark Is on Every Site Selector’s Radar by RON STARNER ron.starner@siteselection.com 114 JULY 2025 SITE SELECTION Nearly $10 billion in new factories commit to this Ascension Parish location. CF Industries’ Blue Point Complex in RiverPlex MegaPark in Ascension Parish will expand thanks to a $4 billion investment by the Illinois-based chemical manufacturer. The new plant will be the largest low-carbon ammonia production facility in the world. Photo courtesy of CF IndustriesRiverplex began as a strategic initiative to attract major industrial development to the region. It was established in 2013 through a partnership between the AEDC, the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, Louisiana Economic Development (LED) and local landowners. The goal was to create a large, developable site with deepwater access, suitable infrastructure and a readily available workforce, positioning the area for significant industrial growth, particularly in the energy and manufacturing sectors. The new RPCC Donaldsonville Workforce Training Center, a partnership between the state, parish, and River Parishes Community College (RPCC), will train a skilled workforce for local industries, including the new Hyundai Steel plant. RPCC will begin construction next year on the $35 million training facility, conveniently located near the RiverPlex site. Meet the New Investors After 12 years of groundwork, considerable infrastructure investment and lots of marketing, RiverPlex landed two of the South’s biggest deals in the first half of 2025. On March 24, Hyundai Steel announced it would build a $5.8 billion steel manufacturing plant at this site. On April 8, CF Industries Holdings, the world’s largest producer of ammonia, joined with partners to announce a $4 billion investment into creating a low-carbon ammonia production facility in the same industrial park. “Cleaner technologies are the focus of the future,” MacArthur says. “There is a lot of carbon capture and sequestration activity in Louisiana. With about a half billion dollars in infrastructure that will be added to this park in the next few years, we are bringing new opportunities to the west side of the parish.” Hyundai’s ultra-low carbon steel production plant will be built on a 1,700- acre site in RiverPlex on the west bank. The Korean steel maker says it plans to hire more than 1,300 workers at an average annual wage of $95,000. Another 4,100 indirect jobs will be supported by the plant throughout the Capital Region. Taek-Joon Kim, vice president of North America Steel Business Strategy Planning Group for Hyundai Steel in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, says, “Hyundai Steel selected Louisiana following a rigorous, data-driven evaluation across multiple states. What made Louisiana stand out was its unmatched ability to support our vision of establishing a state-of-the- art automotive steel mill focused on low-carbon emissions production in North America.” At the Hyundai announcement, President Donald Trump remarked that “Hyundai chose a fantastic state to do business.” Kim cited location advantages including: “Excellent multimodal logistics — with highway, rail and deepwater port access — for efficient delivery to OEMs; reliable, large-scale energy supply, essential for operating both the Direct Reduction Plant (DRP) and Electric Arc Furnace (EAF); and a collaborative, pro-business environment led by state and local officials.” CF Industries, meanwhile, will build a $4 billion ammonia plant that will be the largest such facility in the world. It creates 103 direct jobs at an average yearly salary of $110,000, plus 311 indirect jobs. Morris Johnson, general manager of CF’s Blue Point Complex in Ascension Parish, calls the project “very significant for the parish and Louisiana. Reliable, low-cost production of low-carbon ammonia will come online in 2029.” Just nine years ago, CF Industries announced a $2.5 billion expansion that was the largest ever in parish history. “We continue to expand in Ascension Parish because its workforce is number one,” says Johnson. “This is a highly industrialized area. We can attract good talent. There is a long history of people working in chemical manufacturing here, and there is a strong base of people eager to work.” ‘This is What Winning Looks Like’ An ideal location sealed the deal. “This is in a unique area of the country with natural and built assets that businesses are looking for — rail, road, port and workforce,” says Johnson. “Plus, it has a welcoming business climate that supports business development and growth.” CF’s joint venture partners include JERA Company Inc., Japan’s largest energy company, and Mitsui & Company Inc., a top global investor. “This is the kind of win we work toward every day, bringing meaningful, lasting opportunities to the areas that need them most,” says MacArthur. “It’s a sign that our economy is on the rise and that clean energy innovation is happening in our backyard.” With Hyundai and CF Industries using just 16% of the land in RiverPlex, plenty of parcels remain available for future development, notes MacArthur. As Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said following the two announcements, “This is what winning looks like.” This Investment Profile was prepared under the auspices of the Ascension Economic Development Corporation. For more information, go to ascensionedc.com or contact Kate MacArthur at kmacarthur@ascensionedc.com. SITE SELECTION JULY 2025 115 § ¨¦ 10 AscensionParish Location of Ascension Parish in Louisiana and location of RiverPlex MegaPark in the parish. Source: AEDC116 JULY 2025 SITE SELECTION O nshore oil production in Louisiana has been declining for the past few decades, but offshore oil production in the Gulf is on the upswing. Louisiana serves as the land base for the vast majority of that activity, notes Louisiana State University Economist Stephen R. Barnes, PhD, who in April released his Economic Impact of Louisiana’s Energy Sector report. Natural gas impacts, energy sector employment, regional energy findings and tax impacts also are quantified in the report. Among the takeaways are these: • Energy sector employment is , or % of Louisiana’s economy. • Total energy sector earnings contributed $. by MARK AREND mark.arend@siteselection.com STATE SPOTLIGHT Louisiana Venture Global’s CP2 LNG project in Cameron Parish is expected to deliver LNG to the world starting in 2027. Photo courtesy of Venture Global Billions in Foreign Investment Are Coming To the Energy Sector118 JULY 2025 SITE SELECTION billion to the state’s economy or % of total statewide earnings. • Total value added is nearly $ billion or % of Louisiana’s GDP. • The energy sector contributed $. billion in local property taxes in FY. Those numbers are about to grow. In April, Perth, Australia- based Woodside Energy Group announced its $. billion final investment decision for the foundation of Louisiana LNG, its new liquified natural gas (LNG) production and export facility in Calcasieu Parish. It’s the largest foreign direct investment project in Louisiana’s history. “Our ‘all of the above’ approach to energy is working,” said Governor Jeff Landry at the project announcement. “We have four active LNG terminals in Louisiana — more than any other state. With more than , miles of natural gas pipelines, Louisiana is the place to be when it comes to LNG.” Woodside already is a participant in Louisiana’s offshore energy industry, but this project has global implications, noted Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill: “The project benefits from access to abundant low-cost gas resources in the United Selected Top Projects by Capital Investment COMPANY CITY INVESTMENT $M Meta Platforms Richland Cnty. 10,000 Hyundai Steel Co. Donaldsonville 5,800 CF Industries Holdings / Donaldsonville 4,000 Jera Co. / Mitsui & Co. Woodland Biofuels Saint John the Baptist Cnty. 1,350 Elementus Minerals Saint John the Baptist Cnty. 850 Source: Conway Projects Database Total Rev. as Share of Total Expenses, FY 2008-22: 100.55% Industrial power cost per kWh: $5.88 2024 Workers’ Comp Index Rate: 2.13 Number of NCRCs: 268,591 | Percent Improved 2023–24: 12.65% Higher Ed. R&D Expenditure in $000s: 963,915 Business Tax Climate Rank Change 2021–2022: 0 BY THE NUMBERS LOUISIANA SITE SELECTION JULY 2025 119 States and boasts an asset lifespan of more than years. It also has access to well-established interstate and intrastate gas supply networks. “The marketing opportunities Louisiana LNG offers across the Pacific and Atlantic Basins leverages Woodside’s proven LNG marketing capabilities and complements our established position in Asia,” she added. “This will position Woodside to even better serve global customers and meet growing energy demand.” Speaking of billions of dollars in LNG-related investment, in March LNG supplier Venture Global announced plans for a brownfield expansion at its Plaquemines LNG facility south of New Orleans. The company says the planned expansion would represent an approximately $ billion additional investment in the state, bringing Venture Global’s total investment in current and planned We have four active LNG terminals in Louisiana – more than any other state. With more than 30,000 miles of natural gas pipelines, Louisiana is the place to be when it comes to LNG.” — Jeff Landry , Governor, Louisiana We have four active LNG n of cess 120 JULY 2025 SITE SELECTION T he Council for a Better Louisiana (CABL), which since 1962 has advocated for policies that improve state prosperity, has a positive take on the recently concluded 2025 Legislative Session. (In January 2025, The Committee of 100 for Economic Development and CABL merged to create a new organization called Leaders for a Better Louisiana or Better Louisiana.) “Leaders for a Better Louisiana commends the Legislature for its work, particularly in areas focused on improving the state’s competitiveness, enhancing education and workforce opportunities and bringing new jobs to the state,” according to a statement. “We believe this session addressed many of the challenges that have held Louisiana back and set the stage for significant economic growth opportunities in the future.” Following are some of the legislative measures the group notes in its session recap: • Continuing the reorganization of Louisiana Economic Development and creating the new High Impact Jobs Program. • Investing $150 million in the LED Site Invest- ment and Infrastructure Improvement Fund. This fund is closely linked to the new LED strategic plan that Better Louisiana sup- ported last year. Its funding represents the state’s largest ever investment in economic development site development and makes Louisiana significantly more competitive with other states. • Adding another $122 million to fund other key economic development initiatives including the Rapid Response Fund for creating and retaining Louisiana jobs, a special marketing fund and a fund to help support major events. • Creation of a new higher-tier TOPS awards program designed to encourage Louisiana’s highest-performing students to continue their education at a Louisiana institution. LEGISLATIVE SESSION DELIVERS BUSINESS CLIMATE WINS The Louisiana State Capitol building in Baton Rouge. Image by GettyImages.com —Mark Arend SITE SELECTION JULY 2025 121 U.S. projects to over $ billion. “Our planned expansion of Plaquemines will make it the largest LNG export facility built in North America, supplying LNG to our allies while making a substantial impact on the U.S. balance of trade,” said Venture Global CEO Mike Sabel in a company release. “In a capital-intensive commodity industry, capital will always flow to the most competitive projects, and we believe that an expansion of Plaaquemines is one of the most economically efficient opportunities available to quickly meet growing LNG demand.” The company has more plans afoot. In June, Venture Global announced that it has started site work at the company’s third LNG export facility, CP LNG, located in Cameron Parish. Expected to begin delivering LNG in , the project will support around , new jobs in Louisiana and pay more than $ billion in local property taxes during its operation. Our planned expansion of Plaquemines will make it the largest LNG export facility built in North America, supplying LNG to our allies while making a substantial impact on the U.S. balance of trade.” — Mike Sabel , CEO, Venture Global Our planned 122 JULY 2025 SITE SELECTION New Jersey STATE SPOTLIGHT F rench pharmaceutical company Sanofi announced in May the opening of a $ million fl agship U.S. headquarters in Morristown. Located at M Station, a ,-sq.-ft. redevelopment project in the downtown area that houses offi ce space and an innovation hub, the site welcomes , employees. e region’s thriving life sciences ecosystem and top-tier talent market were key incentives to locating the offi ce in Morristown. Sanofi hopes to attract a highly skilled, multi-generational workforce to this offi ce, a company spokesperson says. Green transit options were also noted as an advantage for current and future employees. e spokesperson says fl exible workspaces encouraging teamwork and adaptability, state-of-the-art meeting and collaboration areas, modern amenities and access to community resources are steps being taken to retain and upskill the workforce. Paul Hudson, Sanofi CEO, stated in a company press release, “Sanofi by KELLY BARRAZA kelly.barraza@siteselection.com Major Drugmaker Makes Morristown Corporate Home The Sanofi HQ will be LEED Gold certifi ed and will use 28% less energy than standard offi ces. Images courtesy of Sanofi /Connie Zhou © 2025 GenslerBY THE NUMBERS NEW JERSEY Higher Ed. R&D Expenditure in $000s: 1,618,815 Number of NCRCs: 1,149 | Percent Improved 2023–24: 10.16% Business Tax Climate Rank Change 2024–2025: +1 Industrial power cost per kWh: $11.68 Total Rev. as Share of Total Expenses, FY 2008-22: 93.95% 2024 Workers’ Comp Index Rate: 2.44 Selected Top Projects by Capital Investment COMPANY CITY INVESTMENT $M Coreweave / Onyx Equities Kenilworth 1,200 Lassonde Industries Seabrook 200 Apm Terminals Elizabeth Elizabeth 200 Hotpack Packaging Industries Edison 100 Atlantic Coast Recycling Passaic 47 Source: Conway Projects Database SITE SELECTION JULY 2025 123 is an intrinsic part of the health care ecosystem of the United States, where we pioneer advancements in our labs, produce medicines and vaccines that improve people’s lives and grow our talented workforce. Our people are our biggest asset and providing them with a cutting-edge workplace experience is key to help them thrive and do their best work. ese fl agship offi ces are designed to inspire creativity, collaboration and innovation — all in service of patients.” As part of its commitment to the Morristown community, Sanofi made a fi nancial donation to the Zufall Health Center, a non-profi t community health center that provides aff ordable, high- quality health care. Sanofi will also take part in the charitable New Jersey-based program known as the Meal Recovery Coalition (MRC), which was co-founded by the French biopharma company with several other companies and agencies and aims to recover surplus meals from large cafeterias and deliver them to food- insecure residents in the state.Next >