SWED Shovel Ready Sites
The purpose of the SWED Shovel Ready Site program is to better compete for large scale economic development projects by encouraging shovel-ready sites through upfront and creative financing.
General terms and conditions include:
- Minimum of ten acres or ability to support a minimum of 100,000 sf facility (ideally expandable to 200,000 sf)
- All utilities exist and are at site (electric, natural gas, municipal water/sewer, fiber/internet)
- All utilities have capacity to accommodate a significant new development
- Transportation network exists with capacity to accommodate significant new development
- Zoning is light industrial, heavy industrial, industrial park or planned development district
- Applicant must evidence legal site control for a minimum of three years
- Proposed site improvements must be offered for lease or sale
- Targeted economic sectors include manufacturing, logistics or other industrial
- Targeted minimum number of jobs = 100
- Targeted number of users = 1
Download Program Information Sheet
Contact SWED at 410-749-1251 or info@swed.org to further discuss specific projects and opportunities.
Other Posts:
'Transportation as an Economic Catalyst' was the theme at our 57th Annual Meeting held at the Wicomico County Youth & Civic Center. More than one hundred attendees networked and heard updates and strategies to drive economic growth from Tony Rudy (Director of Aviation at SBY Airport), Cliff Grunstra (Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Carload Express) and SWED Executive Director David Ryan (substituting for David Pierce of NASA's Wallops Island Flight Facility due to the government shutdown). John Hickman and Ashley Panagakos of BEACON at Salisbury University provided results of an Economic Impact study of the Port of Salisbury. The study found the Port has an overall annual economic and employment impact of $225 million and 600 jobs in Wicomico County, respectively.
Early in 2025 and with funding provided by the Tri-County Council of the Lower Eastern Shore and the Rural Maryland Council, SWED engaged BEACON at Salisbury University to conduct an Economic Impact Study on the Port of Salisbury. The purpose was to highlight the importance and quantify the value of Maryland’s second largest port to our local economy. The Wicomico River and Port of Salisbury play a critical role in local supply chains, area industries, and overall economic activity. Review the Report Here.
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) cut the ribbon for the opening of its Part 147, FAA Certified Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) school at the Salisbury - Ocean City: Wicomico County Regional Airport. The program is the result of a collaborative partnership between Wicomico County, UMES, the State of Maryland and Piedmont Airlines. Piedmont and its parent company American Airlines, donated an Embraer 145 jet to the school. More than two hundred people attended the event.
