The latest issue of Site Selection magazine includes the eighth annual list of megasites that are at least 1,000 acres in size and are open to potential industrial development by a single corporate end user.
Photo credit - TVA
The list of super sites is quite interesting, when taken in conjunction with the business climate in the states that have these sites and the kind of projects these have managed to attract (or not).
Louisiana tops the list with 21 megasites, followed by Alabama with 15 and Florida with 13. The two Carolinas bring up the top 5, with 12 sites in North Carolina and 10 in South Carolina.
Louisiana being at the top of this list and the state moving up steadily into the top 10 states for doing business in the US is no coincidence. Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Stephen Moret was asked by a paper in Acadiana why they weren’t getting big projects. His answer – they should identify megasites.
It’s no surprise either that the South, where all the big projects are moving to, generally rules this list with the most megasites. From Boeing’s move to North Charleston, SC to Volkswagen’s new plant in Chattanooga, TN, a lot of the site selection process is being dictated by the greater availability of megasites in the South.
The FBI is looking for a massive new headquarters near the Washington Beltway, and don’t be surprised if Virginia with its 10 megasites and alert ED agencies captures the FBI. One of these 10 sites is in Loudoun County, which fits the requirements.
A special mention for the Tennessee Valley Authority, which has paid special attention to developing certified megasites, and the state has benefited heavily as a result. Their megasites have been selling like hot cakes, with massive projects undertaken on these sites by Volkswagen,Toyota and other automobile companies.
A special mention also for California – For all its size and infrastructure and resources, the Golden State only has 2 megasites on the Site Selection list.
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