Consultants Forum Advertise
Subscribe
Close

  • Free for qualified executives and consultants to industry

  • Receive quarterly issues of Area Development Magazine and special market report and directory issues

Subscribe Now
Renew

Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Site Selection Factors / Strategy

what-does-site-readiness-really-mean

What Does “Site Readiness” Really Mean?

Kimberly Graulein, Staff Writer, Area Development (Q1 2026)

A roundup of programs—and the consultants who know what they’re worth. More
40th-annual-corporate-22nd-annual-consultants-site-selection-factors-survey-results-welcome-to-the-n

40th Annual Corporate and 22nd Annual Consultant Site Selection Survey Results

Area Development Research Desk (Q1 2026)

For decades, the bedrock question of corporate site selection was some version of the same calculation: where can we do this most cheaply? That era is not simply fading. According to the results of Area Development's 2026 Annual Survey of Site Selection Consultants, it has ended. Welcome to the new era of operational certainty. More
laying-the-groundwork-for-success-kentuckys-speed-to-market-initiatives-are-fueling-future-economic-

Laying the Groundwork for Success: Kentucky’s Speed-to-Market Initiatives Are Fueling Future Economic Growth

Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development (Q1 2026)

Kentucky’s Product Development Initiative is translating preparation into performance. More
beyond-shovel-ready-how-michigans-site-readiness-strategy-is-derisking-investment

Beyond Shovel-Ready

Steve Kaelble, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q1 2026)

How Michigan’s Site Readiness Strategy is De-Risking Investment. More
speed-to-site-how-ohio-is-removing-barriers-to-major-investments

Speed to Site: How Ohio Is Removing Barriers to Major Investments

JobsOhio (Q1 2026)

JobsOhio’s SiteOhio program is designed to give companies certainty on timelines, infrastructure, and due diligence before a project even begins. More
forestry-and-related-products-why-location-mistakes-are-so-hard-to-undo

Forestry and Related Products: Why Location Mistakes Are So Hard to Undo

Lindsey Cannon, Managing Director, Quest Site Solutions (Q1 2026)

What corporate site selection teams must understand before committing long-term capital. More
dont-lose-by-winning

Last Word: Don’t Lose by Winning

Benton Blaine, Managing Director, Total Workplace and Consulting, Cushman & Wakefield (Q1 2026)

As site scarcity shifts corporate decisions from parcels to people, execution—not assets—is becoming the real differentiator. More

Potential Energy: Why Power Availability is Driving Site Selection

Georgia Power Economic Development (Q1 2026)

In today’s economic development landscape, power availability is no longer an item on a checklist — it's often the entire list. More
oklahomas-competitive-edge-low-cost-high-performance

Oklahoma’s Competitive Edge: Low Cost, High Performance

Oklahoma Department of Commerce (Q1 2026)

A central U.S. location delivering cost stability, logistics reach and industry-focused workforce development. More
an-innovative-delicious-solution-to-an-invasive-threat

An Innovative, Delicious Solution to an Invasive Threat

Virginia Economic Development Partnership (Q1 2026)

Virginia is transforming an invasive blue catfish population into an economic development opportunity, supporting seafood processing, rural job growth and environmental restoration along the Chesapeake Bay. More
montgomery-county-maryland-a-global-hub-for-growth-and-innovation

Montgomery County, Maryland: A Global Hub for Growth and Innovation

Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (Q1 2026)

Just outside Washington, D.C., Montgomery County pairs one of the nation’s most educated workforces with federal research assets, transit-connected development, and a deep life sciences cluster poised for its next phase of expansion. More
what-companies-need-from-modern-manufacturing-sites

What Companies Need from Modern Manufacturing Sites

Beth Buckner, Member, Taxation, Moore & Van Allen and Beth Friedrich, Director of Public Affairs, Moore & Van Allen (Q1 2026)

Capital, infrastructure, power and workforce now define competitive manufacturing locations. More
advanced-manufacturing-isnt-a-buzzword-its-a-different-location-strategy

Advanced Manufacturing Isn’t a Buzzword—It’s a Different Location Strategy

Mario Ochoa, Managing Director, Advanced Manufacturing Practice, JLL (Q1 2026)

Why companies expanding today must rethink labor, sites, and operational resilience. More
economic-developer-role-shifting-from-deal-making-to-systems-stewardship

Economic Developer Role Shifting from Deal-Making to Systems Stewardship

Nathan Ohle, President, CEO, International Economic Development Council (Q1 2026)

New research shows how economic development leadership is shifting beyond deals and incentives. More

How Georgia Power’s Proprietary Tools and Data Analytics Are Reshaping Site Selection in Georgia

Georgia Power Economic Development (Q1 2026)

In today’s fast-moving business environment, site decisions increasingly hinge on the ability to turn complex data into actionable insights. Companies demand sites that can quickly meet operational, workforce, and infrastructure needs. More
why-uncertainty-not-demand-is-slowing-foreign-investment-in-the-us

Why Uncertainty — Not Demand — Is Slowing Foreign Investment in the U.S.

Nelson Lindsay, Principal, Parker Poe Consulting (Q1 2026)

For first-time foreign investors, confidence — not incentives — has become the gating factor. More
life-sciences-successes-validate-virginias-partnership-focused-economic-development-model

Life Sciences Successes Validate Virginia’s Partnership-Focused Economic Development Model

Virginia Economic Development Partnership (Q1 2026)

Virginia’s life sciences surge in 2025 reflected years of coordinated workforce, education, and site readiness, attracting major investments from Lilly, AstraZeneca, and Merck through fast permitting and partnership-driven economic development. More
2026-data-center-outlook-what-actually-changes-next

2026 Data Center Outlook: What Actually Changes Next

Area Development Research Desk (Q1 2026)

Demand is a given. Power, timelines, and execution are not — and that’s where 2026 decisions are getting made. More
when-property-law-becomes-a-location-constraint

When Property Law Becomes a Location Constraint

Tom Croteau, Senior Managing Director, Maxis Advisors (Q1 2026)

How ownership restrictions are complicating industrial site selection. More
industries-of-the-future-arent-speculative-anymore

Industries of the Future Aren’t Speculative Anymore

Mark Cote, Vice Chairman, Savills (Q1 2026)

How federal capital, private investment, and place are quietly reshaping U.S. manufacturing. More
the-real-differentiator-for-2026-site-selection-projects

Speed Built In—The Real Differentiator for 2026 Site Selection Projects

Andy Greiner,  Editor, Area Development (Q1 2026)

After a year where “shovel ready” often unraveled under scrutiny, the forward play is fewer unknowns and faster paths to operation—because constraints decide the field before incentives do. More
the-geography-of-packaging-why-location-strategy-matters-more-than-ever

The Geography of Packaging: Why Location Strategy Matters More Than Ever

Ramya Gowda, Managing Director, Global Strategy Consulting, Newmark (Q1 2026)

Smarter expansion begins with smarter location decisions — especially as automation, sustainability, and supply chain risk redefine the packaging industry. More
koreas-blueprint-for-sustainable-us-expansion

In Focus: Korea’s Blueprint for Sustainable U.S. Expansion

Eric Stavriotis, Vice Chairman, CBRE (Q4 2025)

Why advanced manufacturers are treating site selection as a long-term business strategy, not a transaction. More
why-industrial-developers-are-turning-to-on-site-energy

Why Industrial Developers Are Turning to On-Site Energy

Courtney Dunbar, Site Selection & Economic Development Leader, Burns & McDonnell and Kevin Fox, Program Director and National Engineering Manager, Burns and McDonnell (Q4 2025)

Facilities facing interconnection bottlenecks are accelerating production by investing directly in resilient, on-site energy systems. More
leading-metro-locations-2025-smaller-markets-stronger-momentum

Leading Metro Locations 2025: Smaller Markets, Stronger Momentum

Andy Greiner,  Editor, Area Development (Q4 2025)

Smaller and mid-sized U.S. metros are outpacing big cities, leveraging workforce agility, affordability, and livability to redefine competitiveness and attract investment in 2025. More
data-centers-in-2025-when-power-became-the-gatekeeper

Data Centers in 2025: When Power Became the Gatekeeper

Andy Greiner,  Editor, Area Development (Q4 2025)

The era of easy expansion is over—success now depends on early alignment among utilities, governments, and capital. More

Editor's Note: The Year Site Selection Grew Up

Andy Greiner,  Editor, Area Development (Q4 2025)

Energy availability takes center stage as companies compete for grid capacity and rethink growth strategies More
a-single-front-door-for-corporate-investment-in-fort-worth

A Single Front Door for Corporate Investment in Fort Worth

Andy Greiner,  Editor, Area Development (Q4 2025)

Manufacturers and corporate real estate executives often talk about speed to market and clarity of process as deciding factors in site selection. Fort Worth is testing what happens when a city reorganizes itself around those principles. More
strategy-driven-location-decisions

Strategy Driven Location Decisions

Tommy Hyde, Chief of Staff, AdvanceCT (Q4 2025)

How aligning operations with regional strengths drives better long-term performance than cost-focused site selection. More

How to Spot a Community That’s Ready for Your Investment

Taylor Stepp, President, Site Selection and Economic Development, Strategic Development Partners (Q4 2025)

A Site Selector’s Guide for Separating the Real Partners From Pretenders. More
navigating-generational-differences-in-location-and-workplace-strategy

Navigating Generational Differences in Location and Workplace Strategy

Chris Volney, Managing Director, Americas Consulting, CBRE (Q4 2025)

Workforce demographics are reshaping how and where companies design and locate their offices. More
smart-executives-are-paying-attention-to-rural-opportunity-zones

Last Word: Smart Executives Are Paying Attention to Rural Opportunity Zones

Kate Crowley, Principal, CapCivic (Q4 2025)

The permanent extension of Opportunity Zones under the 2025 OBBBA creates a rare opening for business leaders to shape where federal investment flows — and rural America may hold the strongest opportunities for long-term strategic growth. More
why-utilities-are-becoming-developers

Why Utilities Are Becoming Developers

Puanani Norwood, Managing Partner, Los Angeles Office, BCLP (Q4 2025)

The energy transition is reshaping real estate strategy as utilities and corporations compete for control of generation assets. More

Around the Horn: Advanced Manufacturing’s Next Move

Greg Matter, Vice Chair, Industrials, JLL and Meaghan Elwell, President, Industrials Division, Work Dynamics, JLL (Q3 2025)

JLL recently launched an Advanced Manufacturing group to meet the moment, and Area Development spoke with group leaders Greg Matter, Vice Chair, Industrials, and Meaghan Elwell, Division President of Global Industrials, to get their real estate playbook for the new era. This conversation has been edited for space and style. More
the-site-selection-corporate-checklist

The Site Selection Corporate Checklist

Ramya Gowda, Managing Director, Global Strategy Consulting, Newmark (Q3 2025)

Site selection doesn’t start with “where” — it starts with alignment, clarity and structure. More
gen-z-likes-the-office-everybody-else-not-so-much

The Office Is Back but Is the Portfolio Strategy Aligned?

Michael McDermott, Central Region Lead, Total Workplace Consulting, Cushman & Wakefield (Q3 2025)

Reestablishing the value of the office has driven trends in workplace investment and location strategy More
if-it-a-site-sounds-too-good-to-be-true

If a Site Sounds Too Good to Be True…

Devin Hillsdon-Smith, Principal, Hyphen Strategies (Q3 2025)

Learn how to separate marketing spin from real-world readiness when evaluating community proposals. More

Rethinking Local Governments Through Consolidation and Choice

J. Sebastian Smelko, Partner, co-vice chair, Governmental Affairs & Regulatory Law, Ice Miller  (Q3 2025)

Voluntary regional consolidation can deliver what corporate project teams value most: predictability, speed and scale. Indiana’s experience and international models show how optional, capacity-building frameworks make regions more investable. More
site-readiness-is-broken-what-manufacturers-should-demand-from-their-locations

Site Readiness Is Broken: What Manufacturers Should Demand From Their Locations

Bradley Migdal, Executive Managing Director, Americas Strategic Consulting, Cushman & Wakefield (Q3 2025)

Manufacturers can’t afford delays—here’s what to ask for before picking your next site. More
where-medtech-grows-best

Where MedTech Grows Best

Matt Jackson, Executive Managing Director , JLL (Q3 2025)

How data, labor, and logistics drive location decisions for next-gen MedTech manufacturing. More

Exclusive Research