Economic Development and Developers in the News # 211

Welcome to the 211th weekly edition of Economic Development and Developers in the News!

This week: updates from 115 executives and organizations across 26 states.

If this is your first time reading: Hello!

The Econ Dev Show is a podcast and email newsletter delivering actionable strategies, fresh news, insights, and ideas from the economic development community and your host, Dane Carlson.

Listen now in your favorite podcast player, or subscribe.

Submit your organization’s news here. Spot an error? Email me and I’ll fix it.

Alabama

A $1.7 million SEEDS grant, awarded under Alabama’s Site Evaluation and Economic Development Strategy Act, will fund major infrastructure upgrades at the 1,600-acre Childersburg Industrial Park, boosting its readiness to attract new industry and job creation. (Calvin Miller, Executive Director, Talladega County Economic Development Authority)

Arizona

The Green Valley Sahuarita Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation, has launched the Southern Arizona pilot of ElevateEdAZ—a statewide education-to-workforce initiative connecting students with high-wage, high-demand career pathways through internships and industry engagement. (Randy Graf, President and Chief Executive Officer, Green Valley Sahuarita Chamber of Commerce; Jennifer Mellor, Chief Innovation Officer, Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation)

The City of Mesa has approved a development agreement to bring a new 55,630-square-foot retail center anchored by specialty grocer Sprouts, to the Eastmark community. The initiative, highlighted by Economic Development Director Jaye O’Donnell, sets higher standards for commercial projects and aims to enhance quality of life and job creation in the fast-growing region.

DPC Companies has broken ground on Chandler Innovation Park, a 21-acre industrial development designed to attract advanced manufacturing and innovation-focused tenants to Chandler’s fastest-growing employment corridor. The project is expected to deliver over 327,000 square feet of modern industrial space, with support from the city’s economic development team (Economic Development Director Micah Miranda).

Arkansas

Gary Troutman has been elected as State Director on the Southern Economic Development Council Board of Directors, joining an organization of approximately 1,800 members that has facilitated nearly $600 billion in capital investment and created more than 600,000 new jobs in the American South over the last three years. (Council President Matt Tackett)

Applications are now open for the second round of Arkansas's Site Development Program, which will allocate $50 million over two years to enhance industrial site readiness across the state, supporting infrastructure improvements and site development for eligible cities, towns, and economic development organizations. (Arkansas Economic Development Commission)

Shelley Short (President and Chief Executive Officer of the Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development Alliance and Area Chamber of Commerce) has been elected as Arkansas Alternate Director on the Southern Economic Development Council Board of Directors, joining nearly 1,800 members driving transformative investment and job creation across the American South.

California

San Diego city officials are considering declaring over 28 acres of Mission Bay Park surplus property to spur redevelopment, triggering state requirements to prioritize affordable housing proposals under the Surplus Land Act. City Economic Development Director Christina Bibler emphasized any housing projects would face significant regulatory hurdles, including restrictions in the city charter.

The City of Davis is advancing the nearly 500-acre Village Farms Davis development, which proposes 1,800 market-rate and affordable homes alongside significant parks and community amenities. City staff, including Economic Development Director Katie Yancey, recommend a schedule prioritizing public input before the proposal faces voter approval in June 2026 under the Measure J/R/D ordinance.

The California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development has awarded $80 million to support eleven projects across strategic sectors statewide, as part of the California Jobs First initiative aimed at advancing workforce development and infrastructure. These investments are expected to support more than 23,000 jobs and strengthen California’s innovation economy. (Dee Dee Myers, Senior Advisor to the Governor and Director of GO-Biz; Stewart Knox, Secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency)

Florida

Duke Energy and the Duke Energy Foundation have awarded $255,000 in grants to 20 economic development organizations across Florida to strengthen business attraction, workforce development, and infrastructure planning. Since 2020, the foundation has provided nearly $2 million in economic development support statewide. (Duke Energy Florida President Melissa Seixas)

Georgia

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp is leading a delegation—including Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper and Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson—on an international mission to Argentina and Brazil, aiming to strengthen economic development ties, promote trade and investment opportunities, and reinforce relationships with global companies that support thousands of jobs for Georgians. (Georgia Department of Economic Development)

The Atlanta Beltline has issued a request for proposals to develop a nearly 14-acre site adjacent to Pittsburgh Yards in south Atlanta, aiming to create a mixed-use project that prioritizes affordable housing, green space, and community-driven commercial spaces as part of its broader strategy to drive long-term economic development.

International Paper is permanently closing several Coastal Georgia plants, including facilities in Riceboro and Savannah, despite significant past incentives from local development authorities such as the Liberty County Development Authority and the Savannah Economic Development Authority. Economic development leaders, including Brynn Grant (Liberty County Development Authority Chief Executive Officer), emphasized that extensive efforts to retain these jobs were ultimately unsuccessful due to corporate consolidation decisions.

Georgia Southern University achieved a record annual economic impact of $1.167 billion in fiscal year 2024, supporting nearly 9,723 jobs and advancing regional development, according to the University System of Georgia’s latest report. (President Kyle Marrero)

Aaron Szarowicz has been appointed as Brookhaven's new economic director after previously securing over $223 million in investment and nearly 5,000 jobs as senior project manager at Invest Atlanta. The Brookhaven Development Authority also approved the first steps toward redeveloping the $73.3 million Corporate Square site, with construction estimated to begin in 2026.

Indiana

Ports of Indiana has appointed Dexter Salenda as its first Foreign Trade and Economic Development Director, a new role focused on expanding the organization's Foreign-Trade Zone services to support Indiana’s economic growth. Salenda brings nearly 15 years of logistics and FTZ expertise to enhance international trade opportunities for Indiana companies. (Foreign Trade and Economic Development Director Dexter Salenda)

Kansas

Stacy Davis (Sumner County Economic Development) highlights a decade of progress in rural Kansas.

The Kansas Department of Commerce, led by Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland, has received the International Economic Development Council's 2025 Excellence in Economic Development Gold Award for its Community Impact Tour, recognizing the agency's innovative statewide initiative to strengthen community connections and spark new economic opportunities. (Assistant Secretary of Quality Places Matt Godinez)

Kentucky

West Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation has donated fifteen thousand dollars to the Kentucky Lake Economic Development Corporation to bolster efforts in attracting and supporting manufacturing, distribution, and service industries.

Fayette Alliance has been named the 2025-26 Cornerstone Community Innovation Partner by the University of Kentucky, deepening collaborative efforts in land-use advocacy, education, and research through the university’s Economic Development Collaborative and The Cornerstone’s mission to foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and equitable economic growth. (Assistant Vice President for Economic Development and Real Estate Melody Flowers)

The Frankfort city commission has unanimously adopted a resolution supporting the Frankfort-Franklin County Economic Development Strategic Plan, developed by Garner Economics (Jay Garner, principal), which outlines recommendations such as merging local economic organizations, workforce development, and targeted industry recruitment aimed at creating a more vibrant and prosperous regional economy.

Louisiana

The East Baton Rouge Metro Council has approved a one percent sales tax for the LSU Economic Development District, aiming to support redevelopment around Louisiana State University.

Cameron Poole, recently appointed director of strategy at Newlab New Orleans, is spearheading efforts to drive economic growth through energy innovation by supporting startups developing critical energy technologies. Poole highlights Newlab’s mission to enable transformative technologies and recognizes the significance of Tulane University's upcoming Future of Energy Forum in advancing industry-wide conversations.

St. Tammany Economic Development Corporation has received a 2025 Excellence in Economic Development Silver Award from the International Economic Development Council for its launch of the InveST St. Tammany website, a new platform spotlighting regional business opportunities and serving as the cornerstone of the organization’s business attraction and marketing initiatives.

South Korea-based SNT Motiv and SNT Energy will invest $59.4 million to open their first consolidated United States manufacturing facility, creating up to 693 new jobs in collaboration with Louisiana Economic Development. The project will supply components to United States defense, automotive, and energy industries, with operations targeted for spring 2026.

Maryland

The Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation, led by President and Chief Executive Officer Amy Gowan, supports diverse business growth through loans, data, and grants, with targeted programs for minority businesses and a strong emphasis on connecting local enterprises to resources for starting, expanding, and thriving in the region.

Michigan

Michigan’s Growing Michigan Together Council and Growth Office (led by Chief Growth Officer Hilary Doe at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation) are spearheading strategic investments to attract and retain talent, including a new $60 million Innovation Fund, expanded scholarships, and Make MI Home, a grant-backed talent attraction initiative involving five regional consortiums statewide.

InvestUP, a Marquette-based nonprofit, received a $15 million state grant to build workforce housing in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, but part of the funding is being used for apartments costing up to $2,900 per month in a project led by a founding developer of the organization.

Missouri

St. Louis Economic Development Partnership (led by Chief Executive Officer and President Rodney Crim) attended a recent Urban Land Institute St. Louis panel on “Developing Downtown,” joining industry leaders to discuss major projects aimed at driving continued economic growth and revitalization efforts in downtown St. Louis.

Montana

The City of Missoula, in partnership with the Missoula Economic Partnership, has selected Miramonte Companies (led by Chris Kemmerly) to redevelop the long-vacant Southgate Triangle into a mixed-use project. The initiative aims to advance the Midtown Master Plan by delivering diverse housing types, commercial opportunities, public spaces, and enhanced connectivity.