The Georgia Department of Economic Development has designated five additional industrial sites across the state as “Georgia Ready for Accelerated Development” with Select status, enhancing their appeal for future industrial projects. The GRAD Select certification is intended to signal that key due diligence and site preparation work has been completed, positioning these locations as shovel-ready options for companies evaluating expansion or relocation opportunities.
State economic development officials framed the certifications as the result of long-term planning and local investment. Commissioner Pat Wilson noted that site preparation reflects deliberate efforts by communities to shape their economic future and emphasized that having shovel-ready sites enables Georgia to respond quickly when prospective employers evaluate locations for new facilities. The program seeks to reduce uncertainty and lead time for industrial users by highlighting sites where groundwork has already been performed.
The newly designated GRAD Select locations are spread across multiple counties. Enterprise Corner in Floyd County has been added to the roster, along with Louisville Airport Industrial Park in Jefferson County. Park West Industrial Park in Appling County and Pierce County Industrial Park in Pierce County have also received the certification, as has Wilkes County Industrial Park West in Wilkes County. Each of these sites has been vetted under the state’s GRAD Select standards, although specific site sizes, infrastructure details, and targeted user types were not disclosed.
These five properties join four industrial sites that had previously earned GRAD Select status. Those earlier designations include Tidewaters Industrial Complex in McIntosh County and Savannah Portside International Park in Effingham County, both positioned to capitalize on coastal and port-proximate logistics corridors. Tradeport West Business Park in Liberty County and Southerfield Road Industrial Park in Sumter County round out the list of previously certified locations.
Collectively, the nine GRAD Select industrial sites highlight a geographic spread that extends from coastal counties to interior markets, reflecting an effort to distribute industrial development opportunities across multiple parts of Georgia. While the announcement did not provide information on specific tenants, transaction volumes, or development timelines, the state’s emphasis on shovel-ready status underscores an intent to streamline site selection for manufacturers, logistics operators, and other industrial users.
For commercial real estate stakeholders, the expansion of the GRAD Select roster signals a continuing focus by state and local agencies on curating industrial land positions in advance of tenant commitments. By formally recognizing sites that have progressed beyond raw land status, the program may help clarify where inbound industrial demand is most likely to concentrate over time, even though individual projects, capital structures, and delivery dates will depend on future corporate decision-making.
