Corporate site seekers zeroing in on the best places for new facilities evaluate competing areas against the backdrop of today’s constantly changing — and increasingly competitive — location landscape. New financial incentives, strengthened work-force training programs and enhanced World Wide Web sites are just a few of the tools communities are using to make themselves stand out in the crowd.
A recent Site Selection survey of almost 4,000 economic development organizations uncovered a wide range of new programs and services that boost their communities’ competitiveness. Here’s a sampling of those new offerings:
Allentown, Pa. (Pennsylvania Power & Light): Available Property Locator, a Web site
(www.ppl-inc.com/econdev) featuring detailed information on more than 800 industrial and office sites in east-central Pennsylvania
Alpena, Mich. (Target Alpena 2000 Corp.): New industrial park
Anderson, S.C. (Anderson County Dev. Partnership): Web site (www.andersonpartnership.com) features an online manufacturers directory that can be downloaded
Asheville, N.C. (Asheville CC): New multimedia CD-ROM; engineering program now available at University of North Carolina-Asheville
Atlanta (Georgia Dept. Ind., Trade & Tourism): “Yamacraw Mission” will encourage the establishment and growth of businesses involved in high-bandwidth communications
Barrie, Ontario (City of Barrie Econ. Dev. Office): Enhanced Web site (www.city.barrie.on.ca)
Beaumont, Texas (Entergy Texas Econ. Dev.): New program encourages communities to develop industrial parks and build speculative industrial buildings
Bloomington, Ind. (Hoosier Energy): Business ombudsman provides permitting and other assistance
Brantford, Ontario (City of Brantford Econ. Dev. Board): New interactive CD-ROM, “Brantford’s Got It”
Camarillo, Calif. (City of Camarillo): Fast-track facility permitting
Carson City, Nev. (Nevada Comsn. on Econ. Dev.): Electronic lead distribution system helps match prospective businesses with suitable sites quickly
Chilliwack, British Columbia (Chilliwack Econ. Partners Corp.): New Web site (www.chilliwackpartners.com)
Cleveland (Grtr. Cleveland Growth Assn.): Effort to boost competitiveness of several area industry clusters
Clovis, Calif. (Clovis Cmty. Dev. Agency): Revamped business retention, expansion and attraction program, including additional efforts to identify existing firms’ needs
Des Moines, Iowa (Grtr. Des Moines CC): On-line aerial photos of industrial sites
Findlay, Ohio (Findlay/Hancock County Cmty. Dev.): Expanded foreign-trade zone
Greenville, Ohio (Darke County Econ. Dev.): Revolving-loan fund
Henderson, N.C. (Vance County Econ. Dev. Comsn.): New Web page (www.vancecountyedc.com)
Indianapolis (Indianapolis Econ. Dev. Corp.): Comprehensive database of labor market information
Kinston, N.C. (North Carolina Global TransPark Region): New “Megasite” program provides special data and materials to consultants working with companies seeking sites of 500 acres (202 hectares) or more
Lansing, Mich. (Michigan Jobs Comsn.): Reduced electric power costs for energy-intensive facilities; full abatement of new personal property taxes in certain geographic areas; statewide industrial site database
Leesburg, Va. (Loudoun County Dept. Econ. Dev.): New Web site (www.loudounva.com); new marketing video
Madison, Wis. (Wisconsin Dept. of Commerce): Funding for brownfields redevelopment
Mays Landing, N.J. (Conective Econ. Dev. Group): Brokers Resources Network, a password-protected Web site for real estate brokers providing business leads, data and communications
Norfolk, Va. (Hampton Roads Econ. Dev. Alliance): Electronic sites and buildings database system
North Charleston, S.C. (Charleston Regional Dev. Alliance): GIS-based site inventory, with graphically enhanced aerial photos of the top 50 area sites
Oceanside, Calif. (City of Oceanside Econ. Dev. Dept.): Construction incentive program reduces permitting fees, based on building size
Oklahoma City (Oklahoma Dept. of Commerce): Strengthened comparative and tax incentive analyses; upgraded buildings and sites database; comprehensive labor survey of key locations
Oswego, N.Y. (Operation Oswego County): Enhanced Web site (www.OswegoCounty.org/ooc)
Phoenix (Arizona Public Service Econ. Dev. Dept.): New buildings and sites database
Poughkeepsie, N.Y. (Dutchess County Econ. Dev.): Work-force development program for the semiconductor industry
Richmond, Va. (Virginia Econ. Dev. Partnership): New decision-support and presentation system, including GIS and videoconference capability
Sacramento, Calif. (California Trade & Commerce Agency): “California Location Handbook,” accessible at www.locate.ca.gov
San Antonio, Texas (San Antonio Econ. Dev. Foun.): New 12-county labor market survey, covering 7,000 employers
St. Louis (St. Louis Regional Commerce & Growth Assn.): Virtual job fair on the Internet helps area technology firms recruit employees
St. Paul, Minn. (Minn. Dept. of Trade & Econ. Dev.): Work-force recruitment program to attract Minnesota natives back to the state
Sulphur Springs, Texas (Sulphur Springs-Hopkins County EDC): New research effort to identify needs of local industries and help them improve their operations
Syracuse, N.Y. (Niagara Mohawk Power Corp.): New electric power rate structure; available buildings and sites database
Tullahoma, Tenn. (Tullahoma Ind. Dev. Board): New industrial park under development, a joint project of Tullahoma, Manchester and Coffee County
Yankton, S.D. (Yankton Office of Econ. Dev.): New Web site (www.yanktonsd.com)
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