< Previous174 SEPTEMBER 2025 SITE SELECTION floors, increasing in size with each level. The master plan allows for flexibility of the building’s internal layout, opening opportunity to move walls or interconnect floors as needed. Perschbach says the design allows for companies to innovate traditional operations, giving the example of those requiring classified or secured space, like a vaulted room, which are typically operating out of bleak, one-story warehouses with no windows. “In a building like this you can have that secure room in the middle because the floor is so big and when you walk out of it you’ve got floor- to-ceiling windows, balconies and ability to have a nicer lifestyle,” he says. “From a recruiting and retention standpoint, that’s important and gives us opportunity to build in things designed around human performance and factors.” In March, the Port San Antonio Board of Directors approved $7.5 million in funding to begin advancing the project from its preliminary phase into finalizing design plans, budget and schedule. Pelli Clarke & Partners are deep into design development with engineers to assess the realities of construction. The team is on track to have all design documentation complete by the end of the year with a groundbreaking anticipated by mid-2026. “Inspiration really doesn’t come from convention, but the kind of limitless ambition that the Board has in its vision for this campus, which is ultimately going to try and synthesize creativity and a sense of community,” says Butler. More to Come Beyond the arrival of the Innovation Tower, Port San Antonio’s future plans range from a 90,000-sq.-ft. child development center with a 900-person capacity, a fitness center, a grocery store and retail center and an on-site hotel to a Joint Activity Cyber Center to promote private-public partnerships, a potential military campus, a vertiport SITE SELECTION SEPTEMBER 2025 175 and temporary military housing. The Port has already begun work on the nation’s first purpose-built vertiport which will soon start laying asphalt for its taxiway. In addition, almost 50 acres have been cleared to construct a new consolidated air service facility, also serving as space for fixed-base operations for traditional aircraft. Exploration and adoption of advanced air mobility (AAM) is a natural fit for the region, and this site will aim to bring industry, research and government partners together to develop and test innovative air transport technology, including “air taxis” (otherwise known as electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles or eVTOLs) and unmanned aerial systems. A shared major airfield with the U.S. Air Force, in addition to owning 1,900 acres of commercial, industrial and residential space, provides the Port the opportunity to develop and test new AAM technologies in a controlled environment without interfering with commercial or private aircraft. Several proposed flight paths have been identified throughout San Antonio that could connect the campus to University Hospital, the Texas A&M University- San Antonio campus, the Austin Executive Airport and the Kel-Lac Transit Center. Referencing recent flooding in the region, Perschbach notes that these AAM systems would be vital in delivering swift, local response for rescue, food or medicine in times of natural disaster. On the other hand, discovering effective ways to integrate eVTOLs into daily life could help mitigate challenges with traffic congestion, while UAS aircraft could revolutionize everyday package delivery. “It will allow universities and the private sector, the FAA or DoD, to develop and finalize these new technologies,” he says. “Think of it as a walled garden where you start to develop these technologies, port them over and transition them. We think it’s going to do a lot for us, but also for the world going forward.” — Alexis Elmore 176 SEPTEMBER 2025 SITE SELECTION by ALEXIS ELMORE alexis.elmore@siteselection.com I n Pittsburgh in July, on the eve of President Donald Trump revealing over $ billion in innovative private-sector energy and AI investments in the state, the electricity in the air was palpable. In the city’s Strip District, I attended the AI Horizons Pittsburgh Preview Summit at the HQ of homegrown self-driving technology company Aurora Innovation, where leaders from local companies — Abridge, Astrobotic, Aurora, Carnegie Robotics, CNX, Eos Energy and Gecko Robotics — spoke to the capabilities of Pittsburgh’s thriving tech ecosystem. Conversations drew consensus on the strength of the region’s talent pool, industry expertise and higher education institutions; its willingness to support startup companies; and energy resources and an overarching collaborative ecosystem as powerful tools that have kept these companies locked in on the Pittsburgh region. “ ere’s this kind of long legacy built into Pittsburgh, which is a combination of people looking forward and a ‘get it done’ attitude that I don’t think is everywhere,” said Aurora Innovation Co-Founder and Chief Scientist Drew Bagnell. “I think that is a variable for a lot of people. Concentration and availability of talent and quality of life are big factors.” What’s To Come e next day, economic development offi cials, top corporate executives, local and national government leaders gathered three miles away at the inaugural Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit, which took place at the birthplace of AI, Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). Top project investments announced at the summit were led by Blackstone’s $ billion, ,-job investment into data center and energy infrastructure developments in northwest Pennsylvania. is deal includes a new joint venture with PPL Corporation for power generation. Meanwhile PPL plans a $. billion, ,-job investment of its own to expand grid capacity and modernize transmission in various communities. First Energy followed Blackstone with a $ billion investment to expand power distribution and grid enhancements that will impact Pennsylvania counties, while Pennsylvania Data Center Partners and Powerhouse Data Centers plan to construct a Pennsylvania Data Center Partners and Powerhouse Data Centers plan to construct a $15 billion, 1.3-gigawatt three-campus data center hub near Carlisle. Photo courtesy of Pennsylvania Data Center Partners and PowerHouse Data Centers Pennsylvania STATE SPOTLIGHT PENNSYLVANIA: A LL I N ON A.I. . . I178 SEPTEMBER 2025 SITE SELECTION $ billion, .-gigawatt three-campus data center hub near Carlisle. An agreement in principle between Homer City Redevelopment and EQT Corporation will see the purchase of $ billion worth of Pennsylvania natural gas for more than gigawatts of power generation to the Homer City Redevelopment site, creating , jobs. ere was a healthy $ billion mix of power and energy investments. Among them: • Brookfi eld and Google announced a $ billion, -year deal to repower two hydropower facilities. • Capital Power is investing $ billion to upgrade and expand a gas facility in Shamokin Dam, creating new jobs. • Constellation Energy plans a $. billion investment to uprate the Limerick nuclear power plant, creating megawatts of power capacity and , new jobs. • Equinor will invest $. billion to boost natural gas production at the company’s Pennsylvania facilities, while exploring opportunities to link gas to data centers. • Frontier Group will bring a $. billion natural gas power station transformation to the former Bruce Mansfi eld coal power plant in Shippingport, creating jobs • Westinghouse Electric Company plans to deliver nuclear power plant reactors in the U.S. with construction to begin by , creating , jobs and $ billion in value in Pennsylvania alone. Remaining data center investments came from CoreWeave for a $ billion, -megawatt data center in Lancaster and a $ billion data center planned at the York II Energy Center from Energy Capital Partners. With thousands of jobs on the horizon, funding toward talent development stretches from the classroom to an incubator. AI startup Anthropic committed $ million to the CMU CyLab Security and Privacy Institute’s picoCTF program, which teaches middle and high school students about cybersecurity. e company will supply another $ million to drive new energy research at CMU by . Meta looks to support CMU- backed startups alongside the Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship, providing $. million to fund startups targeting industries such as energy infrastructure, health care and defense. Google introduced a new “AI Works for PA” program that will provide free skills training to million residents and businesses in the state, also awarding a grant to the Electrical Training Alliance to train new workers and apprentices through AI- integrated curriculum. First Energy’s multibillion- dollar investment includes an expansion of its apprenticeship program in partnership with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Amazon’s Early Arrival Weeks prior to the big event at CMU, Amazon Web Services and Governor Josh Shapiro announced the company would invest $ billion to expand the company’s statewide generative AI and high-tech cloud infrastructure reach, beginning with two campus developments in Luzerne County’s Salem Township and the Falls Township in Bucks County. In an interview, Amazon Vice President of Economic Development Roger Wehner says the company is in the midst of its early planning phases for these locations and several more in the pipeline that are not yet announced. “Amazon spends a lot of time listening to and understanding a community’s needs and priorities,” says Wehner. “In Pennsylvania, we carefully chose the data center locations that provided robust We as a company service over 60% of the world’s operating nuclear fl eet right here from our headquarters in the Pittsburgh region.” — Westinghouse Interim CEO Dan Sumner , July 15, 2025, speaking to the company’s plan to deliver 10 AP1000 reactors in the U.S., driving $75 billion of value across the country and $6 billion in Pennsylvania alone elopment and EQT We as a company service y Redevelopment and EQT ee the lion ania 180 SEPTEMBER 2025 SITE SELECTION utility infrastructure, a skilled workforce and opportunities to support public services through increased tax revenue.” A key decision driver rests in the voices of AWS customers and where they’d like to see expansion happen. Whether it be to meet rising data infrastructure demands or reducing latency for end customers in current or new regions, input from local communities becomes essential too. “When we think about specifi c spots, we look at all aspects of data center development and operations, which includes things like land availability, our proximity to carbon-free energy, as well as understanding local communities’ interests and needs,” says Wehner. While fi nal investment decisions may be inked inside board rooms, AWS boots on the ground ensure local leadership, talent, K- schools, higher education institutions and community colleges are prepared to support the project’s longevity. Working alongside local communities allows AWS to develop curriculum and training programs within community colleges and trade schools for critical roles including cloud engineers, electricians and fi ber-optic cable splicers. Wehner says the state’s extensive roster of educational institutions creates a favorable environment for advancing technological development. “Additionally, the state government showed willingness to partner with Amazon on workforce development initiatives including data center technician training programs at local colleges and STEM programs for K- students,” he says. As part of the massive investment, which will create , new jobs throughout the state, Amazon has committed to launching the Amazon Community Workforce Accelerator, Data Center Operations and Fiber Optic Technician Programs, Fiber Optic Fusion Splicing Workshops, Infrastructure Workshops for Educators and the AWS Information Infrastructure Pre- Apprenticeship program. To support future needs of the Salem Township site, Amazon has entered into a new power purchase agreement with Talen Energy to utilize , megawatts of carbon-free energy from the adjacent Susquehanna nuclear power plant. e duo also announced plans to build new small modular reactors in Pennsylvania to increase the plant’s output through uprates, ultimately adding net- new energy to the PJM Interconnection grid. Managing data center water use is another priority. As of , Amazon was % of the way toward meeting its water positive goal. Since , Amazon has seen a % improvement in its global data center Water Usage Eff ectiveness, which currently stands at . liters per kilowatt-hour. Previously, Amazon partnered with Pennsylvania-based Stroud Water Research Center for a water replenishment project in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. With input from local farmers the project continues to aid in the reduction of agricultural runoff , increase groundwater recharge and enhance the watershed’s overall health. “We see in Pennsylvania a partner that shares our vision for sustainable community-centered growth,” says Wehner. “We’re committed to being a long-term partner in Pennsylvania’s success, and we look forward to continuing to grow for the years ahead.” BY THE NUMBERS PENNSYLVANIA Higher Ed. R&D Expenditure in $000s: $5,672,383 Number of NCRCs: 41,622 | Percent Improved 2023–24: 2.74% Business Tax Climate Rank Change 2024–2025: -3 Industrial power cost per kWh: $7.75 Total Rev. as Share of Total Expenses, FY 2004-22: 101.71% 2021 Workers’ Comp Index Rate: 1.27 Selected Top Projects by Capital Investment COMPANY CITY INVESTMENT $M Powerhouse Data Centers Carlisle 15,000 Coreweave Lancaster 6,000 Energy Capital Partners Delta 5,000 Frontier Industrial Corp. Shippingport 3,200 Capital Power Operations (USA) Shamokin Dam 3,000 Source: Conway Projects Database SITE SELECTION SEPTEMBER 2025 181 Is Greater Las Vegas W hen e Boyd Co. Location Consultants polled leaders at Fortune companies in the western U.S. in March for its Site Selection Leading Indicator Poll TM, they rated Nevada No. among western states when it comes to tax and business climate and No. (behind Texas and Arizona) in terms of that business climate placing Nevada on a list of potential corporate relocation options. Had the poll surveyed Forbes’ list of most valuable sports franchises in the world, Nevada certainly would have gotten a vote from No. the Las Vegas Raiders, valued at $. billion. e man behind the Raiders’ move to Las Vegas and the completion of Allegiant Stadium (referred to by some as the “Death Star” because of its black exterior) was Marc Badain, former president of the Raiders. Today he serves as president of Major League Baseball’s A’s, in the midst of their own move to Las Vegas. A new stadium for the team will be constructed at the site of the former Tropicana directly on the Strip. On stage at the SEICon event on sports business this summer at MGM Resorts’ Bellagio Resort and Casino, Badain by ADAM BRUNS adam.bruns@siteselection.com Nevada STATE SPOTLIGHT BY THE NUMBERS NEVADA Higher Ed. R&D Expenditure in $000s: 290,710 Number of NCRCs: 24,185 | Percent Improved 2023–24: 15.82% Business Tax Climate Rank Change 2024–2025: -10 Industrial power cost per kWh: $10.36 Total Rev. as Share of Total Expenses, FY 2008-22: 103.86% 2024 Workers’ Comp Index Rate: 1.00 Selected Top Projects by Capital Investment COMPANY CITY INVESTMENT $M Cadc Reno 265 Washoe Cnty. 94 Kreate North Las Vegas 12 Findlay Machine & Tool North Las Vegas 11 Cryogenic Industries North Las Vegas 10 Intermountain Lock And Security Supply Co. Las Vegas 8 Source: Conway Projects Database After opening in 2021, Allegiant Stadium, home to the Las Vegas Raiders, hosted Super Bowl LVIII in 2024. 2024 photo by Dutcher Aerials: Getty Images In a League Of Its Own?Next >