The Valdosta Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA) is proud to announce, Bassford, Miller, and Westside Business Parks have been named Georgia Ready for Accelerated Development (GRAD) sites by the Georgia Allies, a public-private partnership focused on economic development marketing.

GRAD Sites are a pool of pre-qualified, pre-reviewed and approved industrial sites across the state.  The GRAD designation for an industrial site indicates that it has been approved for development by Business Facility Planning Consultants, a third party consultant that works with the state.

The GRAD designation indicated that Bassford, Miller, and Westside Business Parks are market-ready. The designation also includes several tools to market the sites, including:

• Program benefits on the Georgia Department of Economic Development website
• Highlighted listings on the industrial sites sections of major utility websites
• Continued presence on Georgia Allies electronic newsletters targeted to companies and location consultants
• Site awareness for statewide project managers and Georgia Allies partners

“The GRAD designation for these parks means that Lowndes County can truly compete on a global stage for new industry and the accompanying jobs, this certification makes these sites more attractive to corporations who want to move at record speed to get their business operational and it signals to our statewide partners and national consultants that Lowndes County is prepared for their clients, before they arrive for the first visit,” said VLCIA Executive Director Andrea Schruijer.