There’s no sugarcoating it—this is a tough moment to be making long-term decisions. Between rising trade tensions, shifting investment flows, and growing pressure on logistics and infrastructure, the old playbook doesn’t cut it anymore. But that’s also what makes this work interesting.
In this issue, we try to make sense of some of it. We dig into the intrastate tug-of-war unfolding in The Quest for Logistics Supremacy by Greg Canfield, where ports, railroads, and air cargo networks are increasingly seen not just as infrastructure, but as leverage. Charlie Smith brings this idea home in his opinion piece, Time for States to Shine. We trace how every part of the data center ecosystem—from chip fabs to transformers—is under strain in Mapping the Data Center Supply Chain by guest editors Ford Graham and Steven Pearce. And in FDI and Tariffs by Alexandra Segers and Michael Johnson we revisit the long shadow cast by Donald Trump’s initial tariff announcements, and how those policies continue to ripple through today’s site selection decisions.
We’re also giving life sciences the attention it deserves. With three pieces focused on real estate strategy, utility demands, and market shifts, we look at how the sector is adapting to a new reality. Capital is tighter, timelines are longer, and the bar for site readiness is higher than ever. But the fundamentals—aging demographics, scientific breakthroughs, and the demand for localized production—remain strong. Whether you're planning for R&D, manufacturing, or hybrid facilities, these stories offer a clear-eyed view of the road ahead.
That same sense of volatility makes this year’s Shovel Awards all the more impressive. These projects weren’t easy wins—they were earned through smart planning, tough negotiations, and serious follow-through. Whether it was landing a billion-dollar EV plant or transforming a rural site into a hub for aerospace manufacturing, the states recognized this year proved they could not only compete—but deliver. If you’re looking for models of what economic development looks like under pressure, start there.
If you’re reading this magazine, you’re likely grappling with questions that don’t have easy answers: Where will the next constraint show up? What will this election cycle do to capital flows? How do you build resilience without losing speed? We don’t pretend to have a crystal ball, but we do aim to offer context, clarity, and—when possible—a little foresight.
