Jacksonville, FL - Prominent site selection consultants, McCallum Sweeney, announced the certification of a 1,300-acre site at Cecil Commerce Center as an official 'Megasite,' a large industrial property qualified to support a major automotive manufacturing facility or similar activity. The Cecil Commerce Center Megasite is located in the northernmost portion of Cecil Commerce Center adjacent to I-10 and CSX rail. The designation sets the stage for the attraction of a large industrial user who will add high-paying job opportunities and significant private capital investment in the community.

The Cecil Commerce Center joins an elite list of eight sites throughout the Southern United States which have met the program's high standards. Criteria used in the selection process include: size, access to CSX rail service, adjacency to an interstate, utility infrastructure and satisfactory environmental assessment. The Jacksonville Economic Development Commission (JEDC), Cornerstone and JEA worked together to provide data during the qualification process.

In addition to owning the Megasite, the JEDC owns and serves as the master developer for more than 8,300 acres at Cecil Commerce Center. JEDC Executive Director Ron Barton states, 'Recognition as a Megasite validates Cecil Commerce Center's status in the major league of industrial parks and will further elevate Jacksonville within the site selection community.'

The timeframe that today's large-scale manufacturers have to make location decisions is extremely compressed. Megasite certification gives companies peace of mind that a site is, in essence, pre-qualified for immediate development.

CSX retained McCallum Sweeney to evaluate sites throughout its service area for the designation. They began the process with McCallum Sweeney to find the best sites for existing and potential high-impact industrial clients. The Cecil Commerce Center Megasite is the first site to be certified in Florida and an exceptional CSX-served site.