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Track: Local/State Government, Cadastral, Land Records
Larry Robinson
Virginia Employment Commission
703 E Main St
Office 213
Richmond, VA 23219
Telephone: 804-786-8624
Fax: 804-371-0412
E-mail: lrobinso@leo.vsla.edu
Using Economic and Demographic Data for Site Selection
Defining Issue and GIS Application: Virginia, like most states, gives economic development a high priority. The Virginia Employment Commission provides economic and demographic data to new prospects as well as to existing businesses that are expanding or relocating. This paper discusses the statistics that our clients consider the most crucial including federal data from the Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These data re combined with state and local data to give a more complete picture. A much clearer view is available when a GIS is used to analyze and present the data. Often the study area includes several localities and relationships that are not apparent when examining tabular data but that are apparent when displayed on a map. Software: ArcView software has enabled us to design the GIS with flexibility that allows us to respond to varied requests. The Network Analyst is especially important for analyzing labor availability, probably the most
crucial factor for many prospects. Examining drive times is especially important in Virginia which has both mountains and large bodies of water that often make radial searches unrealistic.
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