< Previous156 MAY 2025 SITE SELECTION New Mexico the Latest to Jump on The Product Development Bandwagon SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION SHOVEL-READY SITES T here’s a reason that, after electrical power and workforce skills, the supply of ready sites was No. 3 on the list of most important site selection factors when we queried site seekers in fall 2024 for Site Selection’s annual Business Climate rankings. In economic development circles, it’s called product development. Some states, regions, railroads and utilities have been at it for a long time: Witness TVA’s pioneering work with megasites and other industrial sites across its seven-state territory, certified site programs from CSX, BNSF and other railroads, Entergy’s certified sites in multiple states and AEP’s site inventory and special Bright Sites program for nearly 60 sites across 11 states that are most prepared for energy-critical facilities. The newest kid on the block in the shovel- ready game is New Mexico, after Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham in April signed two bills — the Site-Readiness Act (SB 169) and the Utility Pre-Deployment Act (SB 170) — that will expedite site development, joining some 36 states that already have site readiness programs. The Site Readiness program is funded with $24 million. “As a private developer in Doña Ana County, the passage of SB169 will significantly improve New Mexico’s competitive position for site selectors,” said Christopher Lyons, developer of Westpark Logistics Center in Santa Teresa, in the governor’s press release. “Companies looking to move operations to the U.S. from Asia, and those in the digital space, need to make very quick decisions. Sites that aren’t fully improved aren’t even considered, so having shovel-ready sites is critical. This will definitely improve our opportunities to grow New Mexico’s economy.” The 166-acre Westpark development is in the Borderplex abutting the Mexican border, just across from where Foxconn operates in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. A bi-national community master plan encompassing 40,000 acres was prepared by regional landowners and has been endorsed by the governors of New Mexico and Chihuahua. Law firm Maynard Nexsen in January chronicled its involvement in a megasite readiness program the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) launched in 2022 after a number of large sites were gobbled up by projects. The firm was selected alongside Timmons Group and JLL to identify up to five megasites best positioned to successfully serve major advanced manufacturing projects. In May 2023, their report identified six potential sites for development in Brunswick, Wilson, Pitt, Nash, Cumberland and Rowan counties, all close to major highway systems with access to railroads and ports. The North Carolina General Assembly then appropriated additional funds for megasite development — $10 million for use in the 2023-24 fiscal year and $97.8 million for use in the 2024-25 fiscal year, Maynard Nexsen writes. “In addition to funding megasite development, the General Assembly allocated $10 million during its 2024-25 fiscal year to fund a new ‘NC Selectsite Readiness Program’ and directed EDPNC to identify 15 other smaller locations with development potential. The NC Selectsite Readiness Program Report was by ADAM BRUNS adam.bruns@siteselection.com Among the projects to land on North Carolina shovel-ready site is Natron Energy’s $1.4 billion sodium-ion battery giga-factory at the Kingsboro CSX Megasite in Edgecombe County, supported by $30 million from EDPNC. Photo courtesy of Natron Energy and Businesswire158 MAY 2025 SITE SELECTION SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION SHOVEL-READY SITES issued on July 1, 2024, identifying the State’s top 15 ‘select sites,’ which is statutorily defined as ‘a parcel of contiguous property consisting of less than 1,000 acres that is viable for industrial development.’ ” Dewey Evans, vice president at Dallas-based Site Selection Group, in early April authored “Site Readiness Surge,” an update on efforts by states to stay competitive in the product development game. Among the highlights: • Alabama’s Site Evaluation and Economic Development Strategy (SEEDS) Act program, established in 2023, received $23.5 million in funding in February 2025 on top of the program’s original $30.1 million worth of grants. • In 2022, the Kentucky Legislature approved $100 million for fiscal years 2023 and 2024 for its pioneering Kentucky Product Development Initiative (KPDI). The program’s success has led to an additional $70 million allocation for fiscal years 2025 and 2026, Evans reports. • Already home to a successful program from Entergy Arkansas, the state last year awarded 13 communities a collective $10 million via the new Arkansas Site Development Program, the state’s first industrial site development program. • This year, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker requested $500 million for “new and existing site readiness programs” in his FY 2026 budget. • Michigan last year announced that $87.5 million of its original $100 million appropriated for the state’s Strategic Site Readiness Program had been allocated to 18 projects across the state. • Approximately $106.6 million of an allocated $750 million has been awarded via the All Ohio Future Fund for project-ready sites. Other programs continue to move forward in such states as Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia and South Carolina, where the state is seeking $150 million to help prepare sites in a busy environment: Commerce Secretary Henry Lightsey said proposals from counties across the state for site improvements totaled $2.6 billion.Site Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .IBC, 129 https://siteselection.com UNITED STATES ALABAMA AIDT l RTP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 https://www.aidt.edu Alabama Department of Commerce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 https://www.madeinalabama.com/mobility Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 https://www.montgomerychamber.com Technology Center @ Alabama RTP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 https://alabamartp.org Tennessee Valley Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 https://tvasites.com The University of Alabama / Alabama Mobility and Power Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 https://amp.ua.edu Tuscaloosa County Economic Development Authority . . . .65 https://tcoeda.com ARIZONA Arizona Commerce Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119 https://www.azcommerce.com City of Buckeye Economic Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 https://www.growbuckeye.com City of Mesa Office of Economic Development . . . . . . . . . .121 https://www.selectmesa.com City of Peoria Economic Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123 https://www.peoriaed.com City of Tucson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125 https://www.connecttucson.com / https://www.tucsonaz.gov/Home Gilbert Office of Economic Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128 https://www.gilbertedi.com/business/this-is-gilbert Greater Phoenix Economic Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115 https://www.gpec.org Mesa Gateway Airport Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117 https://www.choosegatewayairport.com Pinal County Economic Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127 https://www.pinal.gov/ED CALIFORNIA City of Vacaville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32-33 https://www.cityofvacaville.gov/economicdevelopment CONNECTICUT AdvanceCT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 https://www.advancect.org MetroHartford Alliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20-21 https://www.metrohartford.com DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Washington DC Economic Partnership . . . . . . . . . . . . .108-109 https://wdcep.com FLORIDA Central Florida Development Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104 https://www.cfdc.org City of Palm Coast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105 https://www.selectpalmcoast.com Duke Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 https://www.duke-energy.com Economic Development Council of St . Lucie County . . . . .107 https://youredc.com Orlando International Airport / Greater Orlando Aviation Authority FTZ No . 42 . . . . . . . . .103 https://flymco.com/airport-business Port Miami . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99 https://miamidade.gov Port Tampa Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 https://www.porttb.com Sumter County FL Economic Development . . . . . . . . . . . .106 https://sumterbusiness.com GEORGIA GEORGIA INTELLIGENCE REPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71-82 City of Chamblee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 https://www.chambleega.com City of College Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 https://www.collegeparkga.com Fulton Industrial Community Improvement District . . . . . .79 https://boulevardcid.org Georgia Department of Economic Development . . . . . . . . .75 https://georgia.org Liberty County Development Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 https://comegrow.global Southeast Georgia Alliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72-73 https://sega-alliance.com Toombs County Development Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 https://www.toombsconnect.com Tennessee Valley Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 https://tvasites.com ILLINOIS Great Lakes Economic Development Council . . . . . . . . . . . .141 https://www.greatlakesedc.org INDIANA Duke Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 https://www.duke-energy.com Great Lakes Economic Development Council . . . . . . . . . . . .141 https://www.greatlakesedc.org KENTUCKY Bullitt County Economic Development Authority . . . . . . . .146 https://www.gobullittky.com Commerce Lexington Economic Development . . . . . . . . . .147 http://locateinlex.com Duke Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 https://www.duke-energy.com Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development . . . . . .Postcard https://newkentuckyhome.ky.gov Kentucky Community & Technical College System . . . . . . .145 https://workforce.kctcs.edu Logan Economic Alliance for Development . . . . . . . . . . . . .143 https://www.loganleads.com Tennessee Valley Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 https://tvasites.com MARYLAND Maryland Marketing Partnership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .IFC https://business.maryland.gov/sites Merritt Companies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158 https://www.merrittproperties.com MICHIGAN Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 https://developflintandgenesee.org Great Lakes Economic Development Council . . . . . . . . . . . .141 https://www.greatlakesedc.org Michigan Economic Development Corporation . . . . . . . . . .45 https://www.michiganbusiness.org MINNESOTA Great Lakes Economic Development Council . . . . . . . . . . . .141 https://www.greatlakesedc.org SITE SELECTION MAY 2025 159 PAGEPAGEPAGE INDEX TO ADVERTISERS For LOCATION INFORMATION or assistance in conducting a Confidential Site Search please email karen.medernach@conway.com or visit us at www.siteselection.com .160 MAY 2025 SITE SELECTION PAGEPAGE PAGE MISSISSIPPI Mississippi Development Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93 https://mississippi.org Tennessee Valley Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 https://tvasites.com NEBRASKA York County Development Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 http://www.yorkdevco.com NEW JERSEY Middlesex County Office of Economic & Business Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 https://discovermiddlesex.com/thrive NEW YORK Great Lakes Economic Development Council . . . . . . . . . . . .141 https://www.greatlakesedc.org NORTH CAROLINA Duke Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 https://www.duke-energy.com Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina . . .85 https://edpnc.com/logic Maynard Nexsen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 https://www.maynardnexsen.com Merritt Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158 http://www.merrittnc.com Rowan Economic Development Commission . . . . . . . . . . . .53 https://rowanedc.com Tennessee Valley Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 https://tvasites.com OHIO City of Dublin- Economic Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137 https://www.dublintakescareofbusiness.com City of Middletown Economic Development Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138 http://www.choosemiddletownoh.org Dayton Development Coalition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133 https://daytonregion.com Duke Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 https://www.duke-energy.com Great Lakes Economic Development Council . . . . . . . . . . . .141 https://www.greatlakesedc.org JobsOhio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1, 131 https://www.jobsohio.com REDI Cincinnati . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 https://redicincinnati.com Zanesville-Muskingum County Chamber Commerce . . . . .135 https://zmcport.com PENNSYLVANIA Great Lakes Economic Development Council . . . . . . . . . . . .141 https://www.greatlakesedc.org The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia . .38-39 https://chamberphl.com SOUTH CAROLINA Duke Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 https://www.duke-energy.com The North Eastern Strategic Alliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 https://www.nesasc.org TENNESSEE Tennessee Valley Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 https://tvasites.com TEXAS City of McAllen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .BC https://www.mcallenmeansbusiness.com Wilmer Economic Development Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 https://wilmeredc.com Conroe Economic Development Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .157 https://www.conroeedc.org Development Corporation of Abilene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 https://developabilenetx.com Fort Worth Economic Development Partnership . . . . . . . . .62 https://fortworthedp.com Lubbock Economic Development Alliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 https://lubbockeda.org Pflugerville Community Development Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 https://www.pfdevelopment.com The Woodlands Area Economic Development Partnership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 www.edpartnership.net/HQ VIRGINIA Tennessee Valley Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 https://tvasites.com WISCONSIN Great Lakes Economic Development Council . . . . . . . . . . . .141 https://www.greatlakesedc.org Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation . . . . . . . . . .91 https://wedc.org INTERNATIONAL CANADA ONTARIO Great Lakes Economic Development Council . . . . . . . . . . . .141 https://www.greatlakesedc.org QUEBEC Great Lakes Economic Development Council . . . . . . . . . . . .141 https://www.greatlakesedc.org COSTA RICA Evolution Free Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 https://www.evolutionfz.com OMAN Salalah Free Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 https://sfzco.com REPUBLIC OF KOREA Ulsan Free Economic Zone Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 https://www.ulsan.go.kr/ufez ST. LUCIA Invest Saint Lucia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 https://investstlucia.comNext >