CLEVELAND, OH – For decades, companies locating corporate and manufacturing operations made decisions largely on available commercial real estate, tax incentives and a favorable regulatory environment. That model has fundamentally changed according to the annual Site Selectors Guild’s State of Site Selection 2026 report, released today.
The report finds that companies are now weighing a new set of variables when deciding where and whether to build. New criteria include community support and acceptance, reliable and affordable power and water, and access to specialized talent to staff a new site.
The Guild is the premiere association of site selection consultants who advise corporations across the globe on headquarters, manufacturing and other major location decisions. Guild Members have expertise ranging from manufacturing and automotive to technology, data centers, healthcare, food/beverage, logistics and international projects. Their 2026 Fall Forum is being held in Cleveland September 14-16.
Key findings from the report include:
- Community acceptance is critical – Site selectors say community opposition is now a major factor for slowing or stopping projects, with data centers facing the most visible pushback of any sector, even as they remain one of the most active sectors for new site selection, alongside aerospace, manufacturing and energy.
- Power and water availability are new dealbreakers, not line-item costs – Electric power and water availability rank among the top five factors driving location decisions, and among the leading reasons a site is eliminated from consideration altogether, often because a utility can’t confirm it can meet demand. Reliable water access is becoming especially critical for data center builds, raising new questions over whether hyperscalers or communities bear the cost.
- Workforce has become non-negotiable – 50% of the Guild Members cite this as a top factor influencing location decisions, and 41% identify it as a top elimination factor. Specialized talent is increasingly scarce, and companies can no longer assume employees will relocate.
“Site Selection is no longer just about finding the right building and the right tax environment,” said Larry Gigerich, Chair of the Guild. “Companies today are looking much more broadly at what it will take to operate successfully for the long term.” According to Gigerich, “Access to reliable power, water and specialized talent take precedence. These are no longer secondary considerations, and therefore, cities and states that don’t adapt their site readiness and workforce development strategies won’t be competitive in the company decision-making journey.”
About the Site Selectors Guild
The Site Selectors Guild is the only association of the world’s leading network of location strategists guiding corporate investment decisions. Guild Members provide location strategy to corporations across the globe and for every industry, sector, and function. Founded in 2010, the Guild is dedicated to advancing the profession of international corporate site selection by promoting integrity, objectivity, and professional development. Members are peer-nominated, vetted, and must demonstrate significant professional location advisory experience. In 2025, Guild Members facilitated the commitment or announced creation of approximately 73,000 jobs and $109 billion in capital investment by corporate clients, which required location analysis across 90 countries. Guild membership is the highest standard in the site selection industry. For more information, visit siteselectorsguild.com or follow Site Selectors Guild on LinkedIn.
Media Contact:
Brittany Borsanyi
Site Selectors Guild / Development Counsellors International
[email protected] | 561-758-7289