Governor praises site as companies can now
Richmond - The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) today unveiled VirginiaScan™, a new feature on its award-winning web site www.YesVirginia.org. VirginiaScan™ allows corporate executives to search an online database of the state's sites and buildings from anywhere in the world. Using fast ColdFusion technology, the new feature provides the quickest, most accurate preliminary site search on the web.
"VirginiaScan™ enables business executives to easily search Virginia's sites and buildings database for potential business locations," said Governor Jim Gilmore. "This latest addition to VEDP's web site demonstrates that our technology efforts reflect Virginia's worldwide reputation as The Digital Dominion."
VirginiaScan™ joins another unique feature on the site called "Hot Spots" which places specific attention on Virginia's rural communities that have available shell buildings and abundant labor. "Hot Spots" resulted from Governor Gilmore's recommendations in his strategic plan for economic development, The Virginia Strategy.
Following the site's redesign and launch in April 1999, www.YesVirginia.org was ranked the eighth best economic development web site in the world by Corporate Location magazine. Virginia has experienced record-breaking success in economic development over the past year. Most recently, flagship projects have included Capital One's decision to create 8,000 jobs and invest $700 million in the state - the single largest employment announcement in Virginia's history. America Online also announced a major expansion resulting in 1,200 jobs and $641 million in new investment. Both firms are headquartered in the Commonwealth.
"This innovative feature will allow prospects to review the most current data on Virginia's broad inventory of available locations," said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Barry E. DuVal. "VirginiaScan™ is yet another marketing tool that gives Virginia a competitive edge in economic development."
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership was created by the Virginia General Assembly in 1995 to encourage, stimulate, and support the development and expansion of the economy of the Commonwealth. The Partnership is a state authority, which is governed by a 15-member Board of Directors appointed by the Governor. To accomplish its objectives of promoting economic expansion, the Partnership focuses its efforts on business development and international trade.