Elevating and Promoting the Regional Brand
Elevating and Promoting the Regional Brand
The Greater Fargo-Moorhead area, and upper Midwest region in general, has long been challenged by a lack of national awareness for the strengths, opportunities, and capabilities we have to offer the rest of the world. Our organization works hard to educate and promote our region to overcome those challenges. Through our website, direct mail and in person (meetings and trade shows), we work to communicate the benefits our region offers.
Educating to Elevate Perceptions of FM to Site Selectors (the folks who help companies decide where to locate or expand)
In July of 2024, the GFMEDC invited four global site selection consultants to visit the greater Fargo-Moorhead as part of the inaugural FM area Site Selector Familiarization (FAM) Tour.
The purpose of the FAM Tour was to raise awareness and educate national leaders on the region’s assets and capabilities. With a better understanding and appreciation for the opportunities in our community, these global site selection consultants (who have access to extensive networks and business relationships) are in a better position to amplify our voice and advocate for, and direct, business and investment opportunities to our market.
As part of a follow up summary, our consultants shared some of the following observations from their three-day visit.
- Impressive AgTech Ecosystem and Innovation Hub
- Lower than national average labor costs for technical positions
- Cool companies (such as Aldevron, Microsoft, Marvin Windows, Packet Digital, John Deere Electronic Solutions and others)
- Extensive infrastructure investment (Red River Diversion) will open several site opportunities which have been hindered by flooding potential
Challenges
- Lack of non-stop air services to coastal air hubs
- Escalating housing costs
- Perceptions – such as ‘remote’ geographic location and climate perceptions doesn’t reflect reality but hard to change perceptions
Opportunities
- Region is relatively insulated from natural disasters (no hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.)
- Proximity to Minneapolis with lower costs
- Opportunities for stronger north-south linkages in the Red River Valley and road / rail corridor from Winnipeg to Fargo and south
Document Ready Site Program
The GFMEDC along with a collection of regional stakeholders began evaluating certified (shovel ready) site programs in early 2019. Using Xcel Energy’s Certified Site Program as a model, the regional stakeholders agreed to engage with Phil Schneider, an internationally recognized site selection consultant, to help build a new regional program covering both Cass and Clay Counties.
“Having marketable business and industrial sites has always been important to a company’s site selection process, and to economic development in general. It has become more critical than ever both because so many communities around the country have rapidly upped their game in preparing and marketing ready-to-go sites to companies considering expansion. Also, since the pandemic, companies’ have had to double down on their speed-to-market which in turn has made the availability of document-ready sites an integral part of their location decision process – therefore, now essentially table-stakes for economic development efforts,” said Phil Schneider, Schneider Strategy Consulting, LLC.
The Document Ready Sites program focuses on recruiting industrial projects and businesses to the greater FM region while also providing existing companies a place in which to expand. The site enrolled in the program have much of the critical technical information readily available including planning, zoning, surveys, title work, environmental studies, wetland delineation, geotechnical studies, and more.
The GFMEDC continues to coordinate with many partners to add additional sites to our Document-Ready Site Program. At the end of 2024, the region offered five sites in its portfolio with several sites in progress.
McCara Site
Platinum Level (highest level available)
111.27 Acres
Located south of I-94 on Highway 52 in Moorhead
The Crossroads
Gold Level
31.96 Acres
Located at the crossroads of I-29 and I-94 in Fargo
Veteran’s Industrial Park
Gold Level
50 Acres
Located at 19th Avenue and 57th Street North in Fargo
Dakota Commerce Center – North
Gold Level
111.7 Acres
Located at 37th Street and 52nd Avenue North in Fargo
RLN North
Silver Level
263.6 Acres
Located at 37th Street and 52nd Avenue North in Fargo
Showcasing the Best of the Region
Ames, IA Delegation Learns from Regional Leaders
The GFMEDC hosted a delegation of 35 business, education and elected leaders from Ames, Iowa in September.
Due to the significant successes our region has had over the years in critical areas including entrepreneurship, workforce recruitment, placemaking, downtown development, and town-n-gown relationships, a group of more than three dozen business, university and governmental leaders from the Ames, Iowa region (home to Iowa State University) toured the region hoping to learn more about our collaborative efforts to strengthen the economy.
The GFMEDC served as the lead host, worked with many organizations to make this a meaningful visit. Tours and visits included places like Weather Modification Inc., Grand Farm as well as regional tours and panel presentations to showcase our efforts in: workforce attraction and retention, entrepreneurial ecosystem building and support, downtown development and placemaking.
Targeted Sectors
AgTech
Building on Agriculture, the backbone of our region and state, the GFMEDC supports companies adding innovation and technology supporting a growing sector and regional economic diversity.
BioScience
Learn what the GFMEDC is doing to support one of the fastest growing sector in our region.
Autonomous Systems
Growing into a national hub for innovation in the autonomous space, learn how the GFMEDC is supporting continued growth in this sector.
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