VEDP urges sustained site-development funding, updates Williams Tract and Ready Sites program

Jason Okuby of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership told the committee that Virginia—s economic development momentum depends on project-ready sites and asked for predictable funding to expand the state's inventory.

Okuby said Virginia has made measurable progress in site development since 2018, citing more than 600 project wins, over 100,000 new direct jobs and more than $100 billion in capital investment in that period. He said federal and state incentives plus site investments have driven those results and that state-level site readiness is now a competitive necessity.

The nut graf: VEDP asked the committee to sustain and scale site-development funding so Virginia can win larger projects that require "mega sites," and announced current and recent funding actions including a large commitment to the Williams Tract in Chesapeake.

Okuby said the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program (VBRSP) is the primary grant vehicle to prepare sites; the…