'Faster, cheaper, better': Memphis touts its assets to site selection pros

By Wayne Risher
Memphis Commercial Appeal

The Peabody ducks aren't the only residents of the South's Grand Hotel getting the royal treatment this week.

Memphis business and economic development leaders are rolling out the red carpet for 13 influential visitors whose opinions can make or break a city's chances of landing an industry.

This year's installment of the Greater Memphis Chamber's biannual Red Carpet Tour is touting Memphis assets and amenities to 10 consultants who have collectively aided thousands of industrial and corporate site decisions. Along for the ride are editors of three key publications that inform the site selection industry.

"I want to thank you for agreeing to come and let us show you our assets and what Memphis is all about for you and your customers," chamber president John Moore told the visitors Wednesday.

Referring to strengths in transportation, logistics and distribution, he said, "We continue to leverage what we believe your clients are looking for: faster, better, cheaper."

Spencer Sessions, a Memphis-based economic development specialist for TVA, said the event "gives you one shot to really market yourself to a wide array of decision makers. It's immensely valuable, because we don't usually have an opportunity to get in front of this many decision makers at once."

Building relationships with site selection consultants and business journalists who cover them is crucial to attracting new industries and jobs, Moore said.

"It's like anything else. You've got to get in front of the customer. This opens the door," he said.

Lodie Biggs, a Baker Donelson attorney who advises industrial clients, said, "This is 100 percent about job growth and economic development. Memphis has a lot of assets."

The event, which began Tuesday night, packs a lot into three days: VIP receptions at The Peabody and Graceland; tours of the FedEx World Hub, railroad yards, distribution centers and health-science industries such as Medtronic and the Memphis Bioworks Foundation; and passes to the St. Jude Classic golf tournament.

Participants include consultants from across the country and representatives of Site Selection, Inbound Logistics and Business Facilities magazines.

Andrea Abbott, senior research/GIS specialist with Mohr Partners in Dallas, said her firm represents a pharmaceutical third-party logistics company that is choosing among Memphis, Louisville or Indianapolis.

"This happened to be an opportunity for us to come out and find out more about this market," said Abbott. "This kind of event helps us a lot when we have a client that we can come and tour the site for them."

--Wayne Risher: 529-2874