Gov. Beshear: 2 New Build-Ready Sites in Somerset Position Kentucky for Future Economic Growth, Job Creation

3 Build-Ready sites available at SPEDA Commerce Park to attract new business to Pulaski County

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Sept. 25, 2025) - Today, Gov. Andy Beshear highlighted progress within the state's speed-to-market and site development efforts as he announced two new Build-Ready sites in Pulaski County, positioning the community and surrounding areas for future investment and job creation.

Both Build-Ready sites, located in the SPEDA Commerce Park, add to the state's growing list of properties certified by the Cabinet for Economic Development as Build-Ready. Site 3B offers more than 21 shovel-ready acres, with the capacity to locate a more than 150,000-square-foot building. Site 3C includes nearly 13 acres, with the potential to locate a 100,000-plus-square-foot building.

"The growth of our state's Build-Ready program is helping position Kentucky and our communities for future, long-term economic success and job growth," said Gov. Beshear. "We want companies to know that the commonwealth is the ideal location to locate and expand, and our increased site development and speed-to-market efforts will help strengthen that message. I want to thank the state officials and local leadership in Pulaski County for their work in getting these sites established and ready for business."

The sites are both zoned for industrial use and positioned adjacent to Kentucky Highway 80 in Somerset, 25 miles from Interstate Highway 75. They are located 81 miles from the Blue Grass Airport in Lexington and just over 10 miles from the Lake Cumberland Regional Airport.

Utilities available on each site include a six-inch gas line, six-inch sewer line and six-, eight- and 16-inch waterlines. Electricity on both sites is provided by South Kentucky RECC with natural gas provided by city of Somerset Utilities. The Build-Ready sites are also serviced with broadband for telecommunications by Kinetic.

More information about Build-Ready site 3B can be found here. Additional information regarding site 3C can be viewed here.

Pulaski County Judge/Executive Marshall Todd highlighted the benefits these sites can bring to the community: "Having Build-Ready sites here in our community is a game-changer for Pulaski County. By completing the necessary studies, securing permits and ensuring infrastructure is already in place, we're removing the barriers that often slow down investment and development. This means that when a company chooses our site, they can move forward with construction immediately and have the confidence that due diligence has already been taken care of. A Build-Ready designation tells businesses that Pulaski County is serious about growth, that we've invested the time and resources to prepare for their success and that we are ready to welcome new opportunities and new partners. This proactive approach not only accelerates project timelines but also strengthens our position as a competitive location for new jobs, investment and long-term prosperity."

Somerset Mayor Alan Keck explained how the sites will add to the business-friendly environment of the area: "The Build-Ready certification of two sites in SPEDA Commerce Park is a huge win for our community. It shows prospective buyers that we mean what we say about Somerset-Pulaski County being the easiest and friendliest place in Kentucky to do business. We are committed to being prepared, removing red tape and ensuring sites are shovel-ready with infrastructure and approvals in place so companies can move quickly to invest and create jobs. Combined with the nearly $4 million SPEDA has received in KPDI grant funding to develop the park, these certifications position our community to compete. We are ready to welcome the next wave of growth in eastern Pulaski County."

Chris Girdler, president and CEO of the Somerset-Pulaski Economic Development Authority, is excited for the future of SPEDA Commerce Park and the business it will attract: "SPEDA Commerce Park has made tremendous progress over the last few years due in large part to the KPDI grant process. We are so thankful to the Kentucky General Assembly and the Cabinet for Economic Development for making this competitive grant process and funding available for communities throughout Kentucky. While going through the process of being certified as Build-Ready may possibly cost a little more as well as in the eyes of some be a more complex process, the long term gain is worth every bit of it as speed-to-market and checking those boxes is a great competitive advantage for any community to have in their pocket. The future of SPEDA Commerce Park is very bright and I am excited about what the future holds for it and our overall region."

With a Build-Ready site, much of the work - aside from construction - has already been completed. That includes controlling the land to be developed, completing archaeological, environmental and geotechnical studies, constructing a building pad, finishing preliminary design work, obtaining approved site plan permits and putting necessary infrastructure in place. On a Build-Ready site, construction can begin immediately.

To be certified as Build-Ready, a site must include a pad that can accommodate a building of 50,000 square feet, with the ability to expand to 100,000 square feet or more, and utilities extended to the site. Applicants - usually a city, county or economic development group - must have previously filed the necessary permits, as well as preliminary building plans, cost estimates and schedule projections. Applicants also are asked to provide a rendering of a potential building for the site.

Including these new sites in Pulaski County, the commonwealth is home to 28 available Build-Ready sites. Multiple other locations across the state are currently working toward certification.

To date, 12 former Build-Ready-certified sites - including tracts located in Barren, Butler, Christian, Graves, Hart, Laurel and Pulaski counties and five sites in Warren County - have been selected by companies for new location projects, allowing companies to bring their operations online in a cost-efficient manner while creating jobs for local Kentuckians.

The new Build-Ready sites in Pulaski County builds on the best five-year period for economic growth in state history.

Since the beginning of his administration, Gov. Beshear has announced more than 1,200 private-sector new-location and expansion projects totaling over $43 billion in announced investments, creating more than 63,200 jobs. This is the highest investment figure secured during the tenure of any governor in the commonwealth's history and $18 billion more than the next highest total.

The robust job creation has been accompanied by rising wages across the commonwealth. Since 2022, the average incentivized hourly wage has topped $26 in three consecutive years for the first time.

Gov. Beshear has announced some of the largest economic development projects in state history, which have solidified Kentucky as the electric vehicle battery production capital of the United States: Ford Motor Co. and SK On's transformative $5.8 billion, 5,000-job BlueOval SK Battery Park in Hardin County; AESC's $2 billion, 2,000-job gigafactory project in Warren County; Toyota's $1.3 billion investment in Scott County; Ford Motor Co.'s $2 billion, 2,200-job commitment in Louisville; and Shelbyville Battery Manufacturing's $712 million investment, creating 1,572 jobs in Shelby County, among others.

The Governor's administration also secured the largest General Fund budget surplus and Rainy Day Fund. In 2023, Kentucky recorded over 2 million jobs filled for the first time ever and has stayed above that number ever since.

Kentucky also secured rating increases from major credit rating agencies Fitch Ratings, S&P Global Ratings and Moody's Investors Service.

Earlier this year, Site Selection magazine ranked Kentucky in the top five nationally and second in the South Central region for economic development projects per capita in its 2024 Governor's Cup rankings. Site Selection also placed Kentucky second in the South Central region and No. 6 nationally in its 2025 Prosperity Cup ranking, which recognizes state-level economic development agencies for their success in landing capital investment projects.

Gov. Beshear also announced a new initiative, called New Kentucky Home, to increase economic investment, attain and attract talent, and increase tourism across the state.

For more information on Build Ready sites in Kentucky, visit CED.ky.gov/BuildReady.

A detailed community profile for Pulaski County can be viewed here.

Information on Kentucky's economic development efforts and programs is available at NewKentuckyHome.ky.gov. Fans of the Cabinet for Economic Development can also join the discussion at facebook.com/CEDkygov, on Twitter @CEDkygov, Instagram @CEDkygov and LinkedIn.

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