Six site selectors visited the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World earlier this month -- and they were pleasantly surprised.
Six site selectors, business leaders from around the nation, visited the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World earlier this month. Their job: to size up Plant City for future economic opportunities.
Once they completed their “windshield tour” through Historic Downtown, Midtown and the County Line Road corridor and stopped at Highland Packaging Inc. on Gordon Food Service Drive, they each had the same surprised reaction.
“They said, ‘We had no idea (of the area’s amenities),’” Yvonne Fry, who is on the executive committee of the Plant City Economic Development Corp., said.
The following day, Friday, April 8, the site selectors gathered for a panel at the Tampa Marriott Waterside to discuss their visit.
What was it that impressed them about Plant City’s offerings?
They laid out the necessities that a city must have for continued business success.
Product Development
Deane C. Foote, president and CEO of Foote Consulting Group LLC, said at he never looked seriously at Tampa Bay for business before the recent site selector trip.
After touring Highland Packaging, Foote has changed his tune.
“I think it was a great trip,” he said. “We learned a lot. We saw a plant, and that was really, really interesting.”
Many of the panelists said product development was a top priority when considering site locations. In addition to Highland Packaging, which creates new, innovative processes in packaging, Plant City is a hub of the latest and greatest in the manufacturing industry: from LidWorks innovative lids for cold and hot drinks to Armor Products creating backpacks, wheeled bags and bags for scuba diving. Product development in Plant City continues to be on an incline.
Transportation
Jerry Szatan, the owner of Szatan & Associates, was quick to mention Plant City’s railway advantage.
“CSX can be your marketing partners,” Szatan said.
The city’s railroads are built with the ability for trains to pass through quickly, from Park Road through Historic Downtown and near County Line Road.
But it’s not just its rail system that makes Plant City stand out, the site selectors said. The easy access to Interstate 4 and prime locations along the I-4 corridor make Plant City a key place to be. Along the interstate, drivers can take five exits that lead to Plant City while being just a short drive from Tampa, Lakeland and Orlando.
While some residents have worried that Plant City could see growing pains in transportation with continued expansion in the city, Lloyd suggests that potential transportation problems are manageable.
“Traffic is an issue in (Tampa Bay),” said Christopher D. Lloyd, senior vice president and director of infrastructure and economic development at McGuireWoods Consulting LLC. “But in this community, at least you’re thinking about it. You’re not just sticking your head in the sand.”
Room to Grow
Nestled at the corner of U.S. 92 and County Line Road, minutes from Interstate 4, the County Line Commerce Center is a small glimpse of the potential Plant City has for growth.
Central Florida Development leases the space to businesses, including SparkleSkirts and Appalachian Insulation. One of the most recent buildings on the lot, which boasts 100,000-square-feet, was completed in February.
The location reminds potential business owners and developers of one thing: Plant City is poised for growth.
“The lack of available space is sometimes tough,” said Deane C. Foote, president and CEO of Foote Consulting Group LLC.
At the panel, the site selectors guild joked that they could more accurately be described as a site eliminators guild.
“You still have to have buildings to bring clients in … but you can compete with any city in the world for a lot of different projects. Tell your story,” Foote said.
Sense of Community
Many of the site selectors said when their clients looked at a community, they sought out one where they felt wanted and included.
The City of Plant City and the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce are working to make businesses feel welcome through partnerships, incentives and helping businesses move forward.
“I think they realize that inside city government, we realize that time is money,” City Manager Mike Herr said.
Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com.
