Virginia Economic Development Partnership
In July 2024, LS GreenLink announced a $681 million investment in a facility on a 100-acre brownfield site in the City of Chesapeake in the Hampton Roads region, creating more than 330 new full-time jobs. Virginia officials navigated significant complexity in the Commonwealth’s successful proposal for Project Genesis, LS GreenLink’s effort to find a site for a high-voltage direct current submarine cable manufacturing facility.
Identifying a suitable site for LS GreenLink’s facility involved a disparate group of state agencies to work through challenges. The company required access to a pier, while the brownfield site necessitated permitting for wetland and water sediment issues. Chesapeake’s successful proposal required significant coordination from the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) and a wide range of partner organizations. Collaboration and a robust suite of capabilities helped VEDP see the project through to a successful end, with VEDP’s Economic Competitiveness and Virginia Talent Accelerator Program divisions helping the company navigate federal grant applications and working to navigate any workforce concerns that existed despite the top-notch maritime workforce in Hampton Roads.
