Brownfield Business Development Strategy #3: Connect with the local Economic Development Corporation/Foundation

The local economic developer has a working relationship with all the existing industries and is typically the first person a site selection consultant calls (even before the mayor) on behalf of an industry that is interested in bringing a business to a community. Healthy relationships with these key local stakeholders will give you an idea who's coming and who's leaving.  A good start would be connecting with the State representative of the Southern Economic Development Council (http://www.sedc.org).  Also, each State has its own Economic Development Council, representing the economic development organizations within the State.  The Southern organizations are:

• Economic Development Association of Alabama (EDAA)


• Arkansas Economic Development Commission


• Florida Economic Development Council


• Georgia Economic Developers Association (GEDA)


• Kentucky Association for Economic Development (KAED)


• Louisiana Industrial Development Executives Association (LIDEA)


• Mississippi Economic Development Council (MEDC)


• Missouri Economic Development Council


• North Carolina Economic Developers Association (NCEDA)


• Oklahoma Professional Economic Development Council (OEDC)


• South Carolina Economic Developers Association (SCEDA)


• Tennessee Economic Development Council (TEDC)


• Texas Economic Development Council (TEDC)

Missouri Economic Development Counci