More, Better Location Help: New Development Programs and Services - Site Selection magazine

From Site Selection magazine, May 1999

N E W P R O G R A M S

More, Better Location Help:
New Development Programs and Services

b y T I M V E N A B L E

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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