The Virginia Economic Development Partnership hosted a select group of site selection consultants this month to showcase the Port of Virginia. As one of only two deep water East coast ports ready to receive the larger vessels that will be coming through the newly expanded Panama Canal, the Virginia Port Authority had an extensive list of attributes on display for a small group of the nations leading site selection consultants. The tour showcased the intermodal capabilities of the ports two main terminals, the new APM Terminal and the NIT Terminal, to demonstrate what facility sites and transportation capabilities the port had to offer. However one of the most attaractive features were the inland sites in Suffolk and the Isle of Wight. Both of these counties have new and expanding industrial parks with incredible rail and road infrastructure, which is complimented by some very favorable local and State programs to help attract and retain import, export, and distribution operations.
Governer McDonnell, who hosted the group at a reception dinner on the first evening, was notably excited about the projected growth that the Port, and the State will experience as a result of being ready for the Panama Canal expansion. Among the many steps the State has taken, the Governor was particularly proud of the regulatory and legislative steps his office and the State government had put into place to help facilitate business. In a timely acknowledgement of those steps, Forbes Magazine this week named Virginia as the “Best State in the US” to do business in. Certainly a sign that with all of their other many attributes positions the Port of Virginia and the State of Virginia will see some incredible job creation and attraction of new businesses over the next few years.
Groups interested in Site Selection Consulting services should contact
Michael Lumbley
Business Development Manager
512-225-9328
