U.S. Industry Hits the Ground Running with America’s Designated Sites

Starting a business today is more complex than ever. Economic and political uncertainty, continued supply chain disruptions and uneven labor pools contribute to the challenges that already exist and can lead to unnecessary and unplanned expenses. 

Designated sites – those sites on which key work and permitting has already been completed for the purpose of industrial development – can eliminate much of this uncertainty. These designated sites are those for which much of the groundwork has already been completed, including utility installations and administrative work and permitting. The result is a ready-to-go site that is waiting for a business to move in and succeed. Following are some highlights of designated sites around the U.S.

Coles County, Illinois

Food and agricultural production facilities are selecting tertiary markets over primary and secondary market locations due to multiple investment returns. Overall, tertiary markets tend to be micropolitan areas with a smaller, but concentrated population density compared to primary or secondary markets. Tertiary Markets, such as Coles County, are located in the American Heartland where high quality agricultural grain are grown in abundance and ready to be used directly by food and agri-business production facilities.  

This, combined with a plentiful supply of potable water, is attractive to firms seeking new locations or current firms ready to expand. The overall work ethic and availability of cost-effective labor in tertiary markets is noted as being strong, reliable, and resilient.  

All of these attributes, with a business-friendly community making significant investments in infrastructure with over $3 million in new electrical capacity upgrades, makes Coles County the right selection for food and agri-businesses to locate and expand their facilities.

For more information, visit www.colestogether.com/business

Hazelwood, Missouri

Owned and developed by NorthPoint Development, Hazelwood TradePort is a 336-acre master planned industrial park offering build-to-suits available in excess of one million square feet. Located in the City of Hazelwood, St. Louis’ most business-friendly municipality, the site is located off Highway 370 with convenient access to I-270, I-70 and I-170. The facility features 54-foot by 52-foot column spacings and 36-foot clear heights as well as ample electrical resources and concrete floors, making it ideal for light industrial. The facility offers ample auto parking and more than ample truck parking, with wide roads for unparalleled access for freighter trucks.

The suburban St. Louis location means there is an abundant and skilled workforce ready to serve businesses that locate within Hazelwood TradePort. Companies that locate on the property can take advantage of best-in-market tax abatement with initial taxes of $0.10 per square foot, as well as the site’s location in an ACT Work Ready Community. 

For more information, contact Brian Bush at brian.bush@cbre.com. 

Jasper, Alabama

The Whitehouse Road Prepared Site in Jasper is a 94-acre certified Alabama AdvantageSite with a 30-acre shovel-ready pad that is expandable to 40 acres. All utilities are in place. The site is adjacent to a Southern Company 161Kv transmission line and substation, and is considered a pre-qualified high megawatt site by Alabama Power Company. As part of the Jasper Industrial Park, the site is zoned for heavy industrial and is covered by park covenants that protect industrial activity. The site is three miles from Interstate 22, 36 miles from I-65 and 40 miles from I-20/59. 

For more information, visit www.jasperalabamaidb.com. 

Lafourche Parish, Louisiana

The South Lafourche Leonard J. Miller, Jr. Airport is growing and currently has two designated (certified) sites ready for business. The north site has approximately 140 acres to lease for aviation purposes and another 30 acres available to lease for industrial purposes. The south site has approximately 130 acres with minimal encumbrances available to lease for aviation purposes. 

The primary point of access is along Airport Road, which provides a quick route to the airstrip and Louisiana State Highway 308. Natural gas, potable water, telecommunication and electrical utility services can be found immediately adjacent to the site with access to emergency fire and medical services less than five minutes away. U.S. Highway 90 and the shallow-draft Port Fourchon are approximately 30 miles from the site, while Interstate 10, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and the deep-draft Plaquemines Port Harbor & Terminal District are ±70 miles from the site. The South Lafourche Airport South Site is ideal for an aviation facility, especially if a company has interest in being situated within proximity to other companies such as LOOP, LLC and Chevron USA.For more information, visit www.lafourchegov.org/economic-development

Logan County, Kentucky

Logan County is ushering in a new chapter of industrial opportunity with a 105,000-square-foot speculative building in Shelton Lane Industrial Park. Positioned on 16.43 acres and set for completion by the third quarter of 2025, the state-of-the-art facility offers a customizable foundation for modern manufacturing and industrial operations.

The building features an eight-foot split-face CMU wainscot with insulated metal panels for energy efficiency and durability. It includes a 35-foot eave height, four loading docks and the potential to double in size, making it ideal for companies seeking scalability and long-term value. Zoned for heavy industrial use, the site is ready to support a range of manufacturing needs.

The property provides direct access to a four-lane highway and is just 25 minutes from interstates 65, 165 and 169. Its proximity to Nashville (one hour) and Louisville (two hours) offers direct access to markets and a skilled labor pool.

Logan County also brings strong advantages: competitive operating costs, a supportive economic development environment and a high quality of life for workers and their families. With proven infrastructure and a business-friendly climate, the area is primed for industrial success.

For more information, visit www.LoganLEADs.com.

Louisiana

In today’s competitive economy, companies demand more than available land — they need certainty, speed and development-ready sites. Louisiana’s new Sites and Infrastructure Fund delivers that, turning promising locations into high-performance assets primed for investment.

Announced as a result of Louisiana Economic Development’s 2025 Strategic Plan, the fund represents a commitment to position Louisiana to compete and win. It empowers communities statewide to enhance existing properties and prepare new ones by investing in site improvements like water, sewer, utilities and transportation access, reducing risk and accelerating speed-to-market.

Recent wins prove the strategy works. Meta’s $10 billion investment in northeast Louisiana to build its largest AI data center in the world was made possible because the state delivered readiness, responsiveness and results.

Louisiana now offers more than 120 certified sites across 25,000 acres, backed by a cost-competitive business climate, world-class logistics, the lowest industrial electricity prices in the U.S. and a nationally ranked incentive toolkit. For companies seeking certainty, speed and long-term partnership, Louisiana is more than a smart choice — it’s a strategic one.

For more information, visit www.opportunitylouisiana.gov.

Muhlenberg County, Kentucky

Companies strive to find a perfect location and fit for their greatest success. Muhlenberg Economic Growth Alliance’s job is to show companies why this perfect location is Muhlenberg County. The region’s Paradise Regional Business Park offers a central location on Commerce Drive in Greenville, a favorable tax climate, low operating costs, a work-ready labor force and custom incentive packages. The site is adjacent to Western KY Parkway with quick access to Interstate 69, the Natcher Parkway, I-24 and I-65. It is comprised of 620 acres of flat buildable sites in a new industrial park with flexible site layouts and features 120,000 square feet of shovel-ready sites. The property’s Muhlenberg County location is within a half-day drive of major markets including Nashville, Memphis, Louisville, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Birmingham.

Paradise Regional Business Park is designated as a Kentucky Opportunity Zone and a Kentucky Work Ready Community – In Progress, providing access to a growing labor market of 236,000 individuals in 12 counties. It’s a progressive business and family friendly community with a “can do” attitude and approach to life.

For more information, visit www.megaky.com/properties 

Rosedale, Mississippi

In today’s fast-paced logistics landscape, time and efficiency are everything. The Port of Rosedale offers more than just a port — it delivers a powerhouse of possibilities that drive profitability and reliability. This facility isn’t just about moving freight; it’s about transforming the way businesses ship.

Strategically positioned with direct access to the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System (MKARNS), the port connects cargo to vital inland waterways, with 24/7 barge tow and comprehensive loading/unloading systems. High-capacity conveyors — up to 1,300 TPH — and a 150-ton crawler crane accelerate throughput for both dry-bulk and specialty cargo.

With an advanced infrastructure that includes humidity-controlled warehousing, Department of Agriculture and Commerce certified scales and true intermodal capability, the port is engineered for seamless transitions between barge, truck and storage. Whether a company is moving soybeans, coil steel or fertilizers, every shipment benefits from expert stevedoring and flexible cargo handling.

Add excellent highway access, available land, industrial development incentives and customized workforce training, and the site becomes a launchpad for growth. It’s a strategic hub where customer satisfaction meets operational excellence. For businesses aiming for speed, efficiency and long-term gain, it’s time to stop at the top and make “Your Strategic Connection.”

For more information, visit www.portofrosedale.com/about-us/contact. 

Salina, Kansas

Salina is ready to grow by offering a competitive mix of existing buildings and more than 1,200 acres ready for development. With sites as small as one acre and as large as 240 acres, there’s room for most any type of business.

The Salina Airport and Industrial Center offers nearly 200,000 square feet of available space that can accommodate most any type of business and all the infrastructure already in place. Aircraft service companies, charter airlines and other related businesses will find everything they need to thrive at Salina Regional. There are several available hangars, including some that can accommodate aircraft with tail heights of up to 34 feet. Businesses also have direct access to the facility’s main runway which – at 12,301 feet wide by 150 feet wide – is big enough to support the largest aircraft.

There are also several sites located on the north side of the city and in the South Industrial District ready for development. With the intersection of east-west running Interstate 70 with Interstate 135, which runs north and south, businesses in Salina enjoy easy access to markets in all directions.

Whether a business needs office space, shop areas, room for manufacturing or expansive warehouse storage, it can be found in Salina. Today, more than 100 diverse businesses and organizations already call the Industrial Center home.

For more information, contact Salina Community Economic Development at salinaedo.org.

Texas

Texas is accelerating American manufacturing, and advanced manufacturers from around the world are building with confidence in Texas. A top international destination for job-creating business investment and as the nation’s top exporting state, Texas offers unmatched operating advantages with the best business climate in America, a skilled and growing advanced manufacturing workforce, a central geographic location in North America, robust infrastructure, abundant and diverse energy resources and a low-tax, export-oriented production environment. 

Texas is home to major manufacturing facilities across industry sectors, including automotive, aerospace, aviation and defense, heavy machinery, semiconductors, electronic equipment and technology. Industry leaders investing in Texas include Apple, Bell Textron, Caterpillar, General Motors, Lockheed Martin, Samsung, Tesla, Texas Instruments and Toyota and they are supported by growing supplier ecosystems. With lower energy and land costs, faster permitting and fewer land-use restrictions, Texas offers cost advantages for businesses and a more affordable cost of living. Finally, a robust network of transportation infrastructure means Texas is the nation’s gateway to global trade offering direct access to domestic and international markets by air, land and sea. 

For more information, visit gov.texas.gov/business

Thomaston-Upson County, Georgia

There are numerous reasons to start, expand or relocate a business or industry in Thomaston-Upson County. The region has a skilled workforce, a unified group of economic development partners, attractive incentives, an abundance of available buildings and industrial acreage, solid infrastructure and easy access to transportation.

In addition, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the IRS established 260 qualified opportunity zones in the State of Georgia, including two in Upson County: the NE Portion of Thomaston and the South Central Portion of Hannah’s Mill. Upson County offers Freeport Exemptions for Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 commercial and industrial inventory at 100 percent for each class.

Upson County is located between three major cities, all of which are conveniently located within a one-hour drive of Thomaston: Atlanta, Macon and Columbus. Upson County is in a unique position to serve as a logistical center point for manufacturing and distribution. Upson County is centrally located between interstates 75 and 85 and is one hour south of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and four hours west of the Port of Savannah. CaterParrott Railnet is the operator of the line out of Thomaston.

To support the workforce, the Thomaston-based Flint River Campus of Southern Crescent Technical College offers the support of its $8 million Industrial Training Center. The campus provides industrial programs in automotive maintenance, commercial truck driving, diesel technology, HVAC, industrial systems technology and welding. 

For more information, visit www.thomastonupsonida.com T&ID