SEPTEMBER 2025 Volume 70 • Number 5 THE INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUE siteselection.com September 2025 SITE SELECTION2 SEPTEMBER 2025 SITE SELECTION t INTERNATIONAL UPDATE 12 ASIA How is Vietnam joining the ranks of Asia’s most dynamic economies? 16 MEXICO Public and private investments are underway to modernize Mexico’s ports. 18 WORLD REPORTS Malaysia sees investment in a major prodution facility; OpenAI launches its first data center location in Europe; Nissui Corporation expands its office and operations in Kitakyushi, Japan; French aerospace company Safran selects a location for its 323,000-sq.-ft aircraft carbon brake manufacutring facility; and Hong-Kong based Quasar Medical expands into Thailand and Singapore. 24 NORTH AMERICAN REPORTS The DOE jumps on the data center bandwagon; a $400 million agrifood investment in the Peach State; Mars invests $2 billion across multiple U.S. sites; Maryland goes nuclear; and Ford is all in on EV production. t COVER STORY t FEATURES 26 BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING Two reports from OCO Global highlight top locations for global business services and shared services centers. 36 ADVANCED MATERIALS Who does the CHIPS Act benefit beyond semiconductor manufacturers? 40 QUALITY OF LIFE Site consultants speak out on what moves the needle when it comes to quality of life. 44 CANADA’S BEST LOCATIONS The Canadian provinces, regions and metros that outshone their competitor locations to attract the most capital investment, facilities and jobs both cumulatively and per capita. 59 CANADA RESOURCE GUIDE 64 LOGISTICS & DISTRIBUTION By special arrangement, a new Cushman & Wakefield report outlines shifting supply chains across world regions. 80 TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT How is transit project planning, zoning and decision-making leveraged to improve economic development? 84 I-95 CORRIDOR Interstate 95 has become a magnet for mobility innovation. 102 TOP UTILITIES IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT The energy providers whose economic development divisions excelled in 2024 at helping to attract investment and jobs to their service areas. 128 POWER DEMAND Site Selection’s annual survey asked utility economic development leaders how they are responding to the rising demand for large-load power supply. 133 UTILITIES RESOURCE GUIDE 136 RARE EARTH OPERATIONS The current state of rare earth exports and imports is a fascinating one amid trade shakeups and increased mining activity. 160 OUTDOOR RECREATION Rail-trail corridors welcome new development along the winding routes that carried the industry of yesteryear. THE MAGAZINE OF CORPORATE REAL ESTATE STRATEGY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT VOLUME 70, NUMBER 5 September 2025 ABOUT THE COVER: The Bund Sightseeing Tunnel under the Huangpu River connecting the Bund and Lujiazui Areas of Pudong District in Shanghai, China, gives passengers a light show along the 5-minute journey. Photo: Getty Images Cover design by Richard Nenoff 2025 Global Groundwork Index The Top 10 U.S. states, Top 10 U.S. metros and Top 10 countries outside the United States are detailed in this unique take on the blended impact of infrastructure investment and industry projects. 93 SITE SELECTION SEPTEMBER 2025 3 ▼ INVESTMENT PROFILES 20 SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA 31 LEPL ENTERPRISE GEORGIA 38 CONSUMERS ENERGY 62 LEDUC REGION, ALBERTA, CANADA ▼ DEPARTMENTS 4 EDITOR’S VIEW: 214 INDEX TO ADVERTISERS ▼ SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONS 210 BIOTECH LOCATIONS GRAND JUNCTION INTELLIGENCE REPORT 151 ▼ AREA SPOTLIGHTS 137 CALIFORNIA Nvidia sinks serious money into site development and R&D, and the Golden State welcomes investment across several sectors. 156 MID-ATLANTIC REGION Virginia, Delaware and Maryland are three states in the Mid-Atlantic that have attracted major foreign direct investment projects. 164 TEXAS Data centers, a new bridge in Corpus Christi, multiple energy investments and a 1,900-acre technology campus in Port San Antonio are just a few of many projects breaking ground in Texas. 176 PENNSYLVANIA Alexis Elmore reports on the thriving AI and tech ecosystem in Pittsburgh and interviews Amazon VP of Economic Development Roger Wehner. 181 NEVADA Las Vegas is the easiest product to sell, especially when it comes to sports and the business of sports. 186 ARKANSAS The Natural State sees big numbers in investment dollars and population growth. 189 UPPER MIDWEST The Heartland is growing industry with fresh, highly educated talent. 193 NORTH CAROLINA Economic recovery and rebuilding take hold in Henderson County after Hurricane Helene. 204 IDAHO Agribusiness and food processing top the Gem State’s economy. 206 MISSOURI How is Missouri raising its agri-tech profi le? 208 MASSACHUSETTS The Commonwealth’s war chest grows with the help of private industry and the $2 billion Mass Leads Act. Community Fiber siteselection.com FOLLOW US! 6 IAMC INSIDER: Letter from the outgoing Chair; the “I Am IAMC” campaign takes fl ight; IAMC events deliver insights.4 SEPTEMBER 2025 SITE SELECTION S ometimes an event in the relentless flood of news uncorks a torrent of memories. That was the case in August when I heard International Paper was shutting down its containerboard and packaging plants in Savannah and its timber and lumber operation in nearby Riceboro, Georgia, eliminating around 1,100 jobs. A nearby pulp mill in Port Wentworth is not closing, but has been sold. Immediately I shot back to circa 1990, when I’d moved to Savannah from Maine and on disembarking asked, “What’s that smell?” The standard riposte was, “That’s the smell of money, son.” Or, if you’d lived there long enough, “What smell?” After gigs as a transplanted carpenter helping build the Wet Willie’s daiquiri bar on River Street (still there) and then managing a sports bar in the Quality Inn (not there) at the foot of the bridge, I went to work for one of my regular customers at a wastepaper recovery and recycling company. It was on the literal other side of the tracks — the regular thunder of railroad cars coupling rings in my ears — from the downtown Savannah that would soon explode with tourism. The company’s main customer was that paper mill, then operating under the name Union Camp, one of the first northern companies to come south and take advantage of incentives to build a plant. I learned about a whole world of paper grades and coatings. My boss chewed paper like he chewed his cigars, to determine hidden qualities. We also operated a giant tub grinder to handle the mill’s wood waste. I’d regularly drive the custom-made dumpster truck over to the mill, backing up the ramp to dump the chips for boiler fuel and watching the boilers send up sparkling columns of steam. Our operation was one small part of a giant industrial plant’s supply chain and ecosystem. I could feel it, see it and smell it every day. Now, mill operations whose jobs fed thousands of families will move into the asset disposition column, to be broken down and divvied up like so many rolls of wastepaper. Central to that challenging work are the same corporate real estate and facilities directors who locate new sites and build on them. They comprise the core audience of Site Selection. What I’ve learned is how holistic these men and women are as they go about their work. Industrial plants are built to last, and don’t get tossed around like Monopoly houses. Corporate real estate professionals are fully aware of the human beings inside real houses, and work hand in hand with their colleagues and the corps of economic developers and chamber officials like those now kicking into gear in coastal Georgia to deliver results with humans as well as figures in mind. Buildings rise, expand, fall and get redeveloped. People come and go, making the products and moving the materials that fuel the economy, building a history that we, as one small part of the industrial ecosystem, are honored to document in these pages. Among the investments to come from IP is a $250 million renovation of its containerboard and cellulose operation in Selma, Alabama. There and everywhere else, we will continue to follow the stories as they rise and fall on the seas of time and commerce. Site Selection (ISSN: 1080-7799) (USPS ), May 2025, volume 70 number 4. Published six times a year in January, March, May, July, September and November by Conway Data, Inc., 6625 The Corners Parkway, Suite 200, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 USA. Periodical postage paid at Peachtree Corners, Georgia, and additional mailing offices. Single issue: $20 plus shipping. Annual subscription: $95 in the United States; $135 to non U.S. addresses. PRINTED IN USA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Site Selection, 6625 The Corners Parkway, Suite 200, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 USA. ©2025 CONWAY DATA, INC. Publisher/Director LAURA LYNE Executive Vice President RONALD J. STARNER Head of Publications & Editor in Chief ADAM BRUNS Editor Emeritus MARK AREND Managing Editor KELLY BARRAZA Associate Editor ALEXIS ELMORE Art Director NEGIN MOMTAZ Production Coordinator/Designer BOB GRAVLEE Lead Designers SEAN SCANTLAND RICHARD NENOFF Designer ASHLEIGH PORTER Data Services Manager KAREN MEDERNACH Senior Research Associate BRIAN ESPINOZA Research Associate McKENZIE WRIGHT GLOBAL SALES & MARKETING Vice President of Sales CHARLES FITZGIBBON Regional Director — Northeast U.S. MIKE GLENNON Regional Director — Midwest U.S. CATHY McFARLAND Regional Director — Southeast U.S. MARTA RUSSELL Regional Director — Western U.S. PAUL NEWMAN Director of Sales & Marketing for Custom Content U.S., Central & South America MARGARET ROSE Europe BRENDAN DOHERTY, +44 7999 786752 Japan HIROKO MINATO, +81 50 8882 3456 Korea CHUL LEE, +82 2 466 5595 Sales Administrator CHRISTI STANSBERRY Sales Development Representative BRE ROGERS NAN JANIS BUSINESS DEPARTMENT Chief Financial Officer DEBBIE PORTER Accounting Associate DAVIS WILSON CIRCULATION Circulation Manager JULIE CLARKE DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY TEAM Director of Programming & Analytics DANIEL BOYER IT Coordinator MARK BERTRAM Webmaster DANIEL MONAGHAN The publishers believe that the information contained in this publication is accurate. However, the in formation is not war ranted, and neither Conway Data, Inc., nor the Industrial Asset Management Council, assumes any liability or responsibility for actual, consequential or incidental damages re sulting from inaccurate or erroneous information. Site Selection incorporates Industrial Development. PHONE: (770) 446-6996 FAX: (770) 263-8825 TOLL FREE: (800) 554-5686 EMAIL: editor@conway.com WEB: www.siteselection.com EDITOR’S VIEW Community Fiber6 SEPTEMBER 2025 SITE SELECTION insider SEPTEMBER 2025 Mark Your Calendar … IAMC: A Best-in-Class Team Driven by Passion and Purpose A s I wrap up my term as Chair of the Industrial Asset Management Council (IAMC), I fi nd myself refl ecting on what truly makes this organization exceptional: It is the power of connection and building something personal together. IAMC isn’t just a professional association; it’s a community, and at the heart of that community is our incredible staff . In my letters, I’ve leaned into fi ve guiding themes: Growth Matters, Expanding with Purpose, Connecting the World, Content Matters and Professional Development. ese pillars have helped shape my journey, but they are only as strong as the people who bring them to life. And that’s where IAMC shines brightest. IAMC is the premier association for corporate real estate executives managing industrial portfolios. But behind every forum, every resource, and every initiative is a team of professionals who live and breathe this mission. Our staff are not just facilitators — they are collaborators and champions of excellence. eir dedication is evident in every detail, every interaction and every moment they create for our members. I was fortune to see it fi rsthand, behind the curtain, and wanted to share my gratitude here. e staff is the heart of what sets IAMC apart because it’s not just in what we do, it’s how we do it. We believe that when relationships come fi rst, business naturally follows. is philosophy is embedded in our DNA, and it’s our staff who embody it most fully. ey cultivate a culture where collaboration thrives and where members feel seen, heard and supported. is commitment to fostering and empowering member-driven content, professional development and committee-driven thought leadership is what makes IAMC not just best- in-class — but the gold standard for the future of industrial real estate. To the Board, my fellow Executive Committee members, and especially to Tate and our phenomenal staff — thank you. You have made my term as Chair one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. I am Industrial. I am IAMC. — Cary Hutchings LETTER FROM THE CHAIR FALL FORUM • OCTOBER 18–22, 2025 Indianapolis, Indiana BOARD OF DIRECTORS Fall 2024 - Fall 2025 Chair Cary Hutchings BNSF Railway Company Vice Chair Matt M. Boehlke Xcel Energy Secretary-Treasurer Jim P. Horigan Corning Inc. Past Chair Karen Shchuka Penske Transportation Solutions JamesChavez South Carolina Power Team Eric Nieukirk Caterpillar Connie Fricke Land O’Lakes Lindsay Friedman Prologis Robert Kontur Dave Quinn, CEcD Fairview Texas EDC Eric Zahniser Cresa Marcus Rose NFI Industries Jonathan Majors Graphic Packaging International Kristin Cahayla-Hoff man Lehigh Valley EDC IAMC President & CEO J. Tate Godfrey, CEcD www.iamc.org TO LEARN MORE, VISIT IAMC.ORG OR CALL IAMC STAFF AT 770.325.3461. Next >