The GO Virginia Board meeting on December 10, 2024, focused on two significant site development projects aimed at enhancing regional economic growth. The first project discussed was the Blue Mountain extended due diligence initiative, which is located in the Shenandoah Valley, encompassing multiple localities including Buena Vista, Harrisonburg, and Waynesboro.

The Shenandoah Valley Partnership is the applicant for this project, seeking $348,810 to improve the inventory of shovel-ready sites in the region. The goal is to elevate 300 acres of land to a tier 4 status on the business-ready site scale, complementing a previously funded project that upgraded 119 acres. This development will create a total of 500 acres of competitive industrial land, strategically located near an interstate and a regional airport, which is expected to attract future investments.

Additionally, the project includes a study funded by GO Virginia to establish a regional industrial facilities authority (RIFA). This legal entity will enable localities to co-invest in the industrial site and share in the tax revenues generated from it, marking a new approach to regional site development in the Shenandoah Valley.

The board recommended the approval of this project, highlighting its potential to de-risk future investments in the area. The meeting also briefly mentioned a second project in Clark County, referred to as the Camp 7 Site, although details on this initiative were not elaborated upon during the discussion.

Overall, the meeting underscored GO Virginia's commitment to fostering economic development through strategic site readiness and regional collaboration.