Why Competitive Communities Still Lose Projects: The Hidden Impact of Site Shortages

In the world of economic development, it’s a scenario we see all too often: a community with a skilled workforce, solid infrastructure, excellent schools, and attractive business incentives finds itself unexpectedly losing out on major investment projects. On paper, everything looks perfect. So why does the deal go elsewhere?

The answer, in many cases, comes down to one critical factor: the availability of development-ready sites.

The Missing Link in Community Competitiveness

No matter how strong a community’s fundamentals may be, if a suitable site doesn’t exist to accommodate a company’s project requirements, that community is effectively eliminated from consideration. Corporations and site selectors work under tight timelines and can’t afford the risk and delays associated with undeveloped or uncertain properties.

Investors want confidence that a location isn’t just a great place in theory — it must also have a site ready for immediate development, with clear data on infrastructure, environmental conditions, permitting, and land ownership. Without that assurance, even the most promising regions can quickly fall off the shortlist.

The Cost of Lost Opportunities

The consequences of not having development-ready sites can be significant:

• Missed Economic Impact: Losing projects means losing the jobs, tax revenues, and economic ripple effects those investments could generate.
• Untapped Market Potential: Communities with strong fundamentals remain underleveraged simply because they can’t prove they have the right physical space for new development.
• Competitive Disadvantage: Regions that proactively identify and certify sites gain an edge, leaving others further behind.

Proactive Site Readiness: The Solution

At Location Design Group, we believe communities shouldn’t leave opportunity to chance. That’s why we developed the Strategic Sites Inventory (SSI) Program, a rigorous, data-driven process to help communities:

✅ Identify potential sites with competitive attributes.
✅ Evaluate sites objectively through multiple phases of analysis.
✅ Advance only the strongest sites to the market as development-ready properties.
✅ Equip economic developers with credible data to market their sites confidently.

By transforming raw land into project-ready sites, communities increase their chances of landing transformative projects — and ensure they’re prepared to compete in today’s fast-paced site selection environment.

Unlock Your Community’s Potential

The reality is clear: without ready sites, even the best-positioned communities can lose out. But with a proactive strategy, those same regions can become magnets for investment and growth.

Location Design Group is here to help you unlock that potential. Let’s work together to ensure your community doesn’t just compete — it wins.