Moving swiftly to position Oklahoma on the forefront of the latest economic development trend, the Oklahoma Department of Commerce debuted 13 inaugural sites as part of the new Oklahoma Site-Ready Certification Program. The sites are located in Alva, Ardmore, Bartlesville, Claremore, Eufaula, Fairview, Hobart, Norman, Ponca City and Wagoner.
The program’s strategy is to make business relocation, expansion and development in Oklahoma as inviting as possible. In partnership with OG&E, and PSO, the Oklahoma Department of Commerce is working to capitalize on economic development opportunities through this program. Currently, there are only three states offering similar programs.
“Site Ready, Oklahoma's statewide site certification program, will enable site selectors to readily find quality land and facilities that meet nationally established criteria in a timely fashion,” said Sandy Pratt, director of the Business Location Division within the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. “Being one of the first programs in the nation with a third-party verified site program is important because it positions Oklahoma to further capitalize on fast-moving economic opportunities. Site Ready will definitely aid in the selection process and enable the state to better serve the needs of businesses.”
To become certified as “site-ready,” site owners and/or community leaders must complete a comprehensive application identifying key data about the site to aide site selectors in their searches. An objective third party assists Commerce in evaluating the applications to ensure sites meet program requirements. A site’s successful completion of the process guarantees a prospective incoming business that the site is ready for construction.
To further assist in the site selection process, the Commerce website, www.OKcommerce.gov/siteready, offers detailed site- and community-specific information including proximity to major transportation routes, area labor force statistics, nearby community profiles, utilities, cost of living details, and business incentives for the site selector’s consideration.
Within the Oklahoma Site-Ready Certification Program, there are several types of targeted industries such as aerospace, research, industrial and rural business. An objective of the program is to prepare Oklahoma communities to accommodate new business prospect inquiries. By going through the application process, communities have the opportunity to learn what the relevant needs are for the various industry projects and how to strategically plan to address those needs.
The next round of Oklahoma Site-Ready Certification Program applications are due by March 31, 2006. The applications can be downloaded at www.OKcommerce.gov/sites.
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