# Field Notes from Vista's Experts > Expert guides, data and lessons from real projects on site selection, incentives and economic development, from the Vista Site Selection team. *Canonical page: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/* --- Thought leadership on site selection, incentives, economic development, and workforce analytics. Every post below also has a plain-Markdown version at its URL + ".md". ## How to Choose a Site Selection Consultant: 10 Questions to Ask Before You Hire *Matt Samler · Oct 19, 2026* Start with how the firm gets paid. Matt Samler on the four types of site selection consultants, the 10 questions to ask, and the red flags. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/how-to-choose-a-site-selection-consultant/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/how-to-choose-a-site-selection-consultant.md ## GIS Mapping for Site Selection: Understanding What the Location Actually Tells You *William Floyd · Oct 18, 2026* William Floyd on GIS mapping for site selection: start with the business question, go deeper than county averages, and test every map before you trust it. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/gis-mapping-for-site-selection/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/gis-mapping-for-site-selection.md ## The Map Daddy of Site Selection *William Floyd · Oct 6, 2026* One guy. Several aliases. One very public experiment. Meet William Floyd, the Map Daddy of Site Selection. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/the-map-daddy-of-site-selection/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/the-map-daddy-of-site-selection.md ## How Incentive Clawbacks Actually Work *Vista Site Selection · Sep 30, 2026* A clawback can turn an earned incentive into a repayment demand years later. Here is what triggers one, how the math works, and how to prevent it. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/how-incentive-clawbacks-work/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/how-incentive-clawbacks-work.md ## Colorado's Incentive Challenge: Turning Incentives into Real Value *Andrea Dishler · Aug 24, 2026* Colorado is a premier home for aerospace, defense and advanced manufacturing. The challenge isn't finding incentives; it's turning them into real value. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/colorado-incentive-challenge-aerospace-defense/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/colorado-incentive-challenge-aerospace-defense.md ## Q&A with Vista's William Floyd on AI Workflows *Vista Site Selection · Aug 20, 2026* William Floyd led a workshop at the Select Oklahoma Conference, giving economic developers a practical guide to AI guardrails and prompting. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/vista-william-floyd-on-ai-workflows/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/vista-william-floyd-on-ai-workflows.md ## Vista Site Selection Secures Ohio TMUD Tax Credits for Five Clients *Vista Site Selection · Jul 10, 2026* Five of the 13 projects awarded Ohio Transformational Mixed-Use Development (TMUD) tax credits this round were represented by Vista Site Selection. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/vista-site-selection-secures-ohio-tmud-tax-credits-for-five-clients/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/vista-site-selection-secures-ohio-tmud-tax-credits-for-five-clients.md ## Jeff Troan Explains Leveraged Zoning in New Video *Vista Site Selection · Jun 1, 2026* Jeff Troan, partner and senior managing director at Vista, explains the concept of leveraged zoning in our new video, “The Art of Work.” Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/jeff-troan-explains-leveraged-zoning-in-new-video/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/jeff-troan-explains-leveraged-zoning-in-new-video.md ## Vista Discusses State Government Site Selection Programs at Economic Development Incentives Conference *Vista Site Selection · Apr 16, 2026* Vista’s Julie Miller joined a panel at the Vorys Economic Development Incentives Conference on state-sponsored site selection programs. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/vista-discusses-state-government-site-selection-programs/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/vista-discusses-state-government-site-selection-programs.md ## Vista Discusses Commercial Real Estate Trends at Economic Development Incentives Conference *Vista Site Selection · Mar 24, 2026* Vista’s Matt Samler joined a commercial real estate trends panel at the Vorys Economic Development Incentives Conference. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/vista-discusses-defense-commercial-real-estate/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/vista-discusses-defense-commercial-real-estate.md ## Vista Discusses Defense and Aerospace with BAE Systems at Economic Development Incentives Conference *Vista Site Selection · Mar 11, 2026* Vista co-sponsored the 2026 Vorys Economic Development Incentives Conference in Columbus. First in a series on its panels and presentations. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/vista-discusses-defense-aerospace-bae-systems/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/vista-discusses-defense-aerospace-bae-systems.md ## The System by Vista Tool Offers Free, Data-Driven Site Selection Mapping Experience *Vista Site Selection · Feb 5, 2026* The System by Vista: a free, interactive way to explore more than 1,400 demographic variables across the U.S., built for fast market discovery. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/the-system-by-vista-free-site-selection-mapping/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/the-system-by-vista-free-site-selection-mapping.md ## Meet Taylor Blanks, Vista's Program Support Manager *Vista Site Selection · Jan 5, 2026* Meet Taylor Blanks, Vista's program support manager, who brings project management experience from the defense and aerospace industries. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/meet-taylor-blanks-program-support-manager/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/meet-taylor-blanks-program-support-manager.md ## Vista Site Selection Touches Down at AFA Air, Space & Cyber Conference *Vista Site Selection · Oct 29, 2025* Vista Site Selection was proud to showcase our new Weighted Site Matrix Tool at the 2025 edition of the AFA's Air, Space & Cyber Conference. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/vista-afa-air-space-cyber-conference/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/vista-afa-air-space-cyber-conference.md ## Jeff Troan Authors Maritime Prosperity Zone Shipbuilding Incentives Feature for 'Area Development' *Vista Site Selection · Aug 27, 2025* Jeff Troan writes in Area Development (Q3 2025) about maritime prosperity zone incentives for shipbuilding. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/troan-maritime-prosperity-zone-shipbuilding/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/troan-maritime-prosperity-zone-shipbuilding.md ## Meet Andrea Dishler, Vista's Senior Vice President of Project Management *Vista Site Selection · Aug 1, 2025* Meet Andrea Dishler, Vista's senior vice president of project management, with deep expertise from the aerospace and defense industries. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/meet-andrea-dishler-svp-project-management/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/meet-andrea-dishler-svp-project-management.md ## Chris Magill Quoted in Feature on Ohio Economic Development Incentives *Vista Site Selection · Jul 9, 2025* Chris Magill was quoted in Columbus Business First on how Ohio uses economic development incentives to accelerate local economies. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/magill-ohio-economic-development-incentives/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/magill-ohio-economic-development-incentives.md ## Meet James Maples, Ph.D., Vista's Lead Economist *Vista Site Selection · May 19, 2025* Vista Site Selection is pleased to introduce James Maples, Ph.D, our new lead economist, bringing expertise in economic impact studies and IMPLAN modeling. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/meet-james-maples-lead-economist/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/meet-james-maples-lead-economist.md ## Meet Janie Hanna, Vista's Vice President of Program Management *Vista Site Selection · Apr 23, 2025* Meet Janie Hanna, Vista's vice president of program management, bringing over a decade of economic development experience. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/meet-janie-hanna-vp-program-management/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/meet-janie-hanna-vp-program-management.md ## 4 Reasons Why Sundance Moved to Boulder...and What Your Project Site Selection Can Learn From It *Vista Site Selection · Mar 31, 2025* Sundance is moving to Boulder after 40 years in Park City. Four site selection factors behind the decision, and what your project can learn from it. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/sundance-moved-to-boulder-site-selection-lessons/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/sundance-moved-to-boulder-site-selection-lessons.md ## Vista Team Discusses AI, Analytics and Manufacturing at Economic Development Incentives Conference *Vista Site Selection · Feb 28, 2025* At the 10th annual Vorys Economic Development Incentives Conference, Vista joined panels on AI, data analytics and manufacturing site selection trends. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/vista-ai-analytics-manufacturing-conference/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/vista-ai-analytics-manufacturing-conference.md ## Seven Vista-Supported Ohio Projects Receive Transformational Mixed-Use Developments Tax Credits in 2024 *Vista Site Selection · Feb 7, 2025* Vista helped seven projects earn Ohio TMUD awards in 2024: $58 million, or 58% of the funds distributed that year. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/seven-ohio-projects-tmud-tax-credits-2024/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/seven-ohio-projects-tmud-tax-credits-2024.md ## Vista Pushed Data, Analytics and Site Selection Forward During 2024 *Vista Site Selection · Jan 9, 2025* A look back at what Vista accomplished during 2024, innovative data analytics tools, talented new hires, and continued leadership in site selection. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/vista-pushed-data-analytics-forward-2024/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/vista-pushed-data-analytics-forward-2024.md ## Nuclear Power, Data Center Development, Analytics and Site Selection *Vista Site Selection · Dec 4, 2024* AI and nuclear power are increasingly intertwined, and so are the site selection questions behind data centers and new energy supply. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/nuclear-power-data-center-site-selection/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/nuclear-power-data-center-site-selection.md ## Vista View Mapping Tool Offers Customizable, Self-Service GIS Mapping Experience *Vista Site Selection · Nov 11, 2024* Vista View put layered, self-service GIS mapping in users' hands. Here's what it offered, and where Vista's free mapping lives today. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/vista-view-mapping-tool-gis-software/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/vista-view-mapping-tool-gis-software.md ## Vista's Data Center Site Selection Tool Was a Boost for Server Hub Development *Vista Site Selection · Oct 21, 2024* Vista's Data Center Site Selection Tool mapped the infrastructure behind data center projects: power, fiber, existing facilities and risk. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/data-center-site-selection-tool/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/data-center-site-selection-tool.md ## Meet Julie Miller, Managing Director and Head of Vista Site Selection's Incentives Compliance Practice *Vista Site Selection · Oct 1, 2024* Meet Julie Miller, Vista's managing director and head of the incentives compliance practice. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/meet-julie-miller-incentives-compliance/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/meet-julie-miller-incentives-compliance.md ## Managing Director Chris Magill Honored with BizTech Award for Site Selection Technology *Vista Site Selection · Sep 12, 2024* Chris Magill received a Columbus Business First BizTech Award for advancing the Central Ohio economy through data analytics. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/magill-biztech-award-site-selection-technology/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/magill-biztech-award-site-selection-technology.md ## Residential Development, Site Selection Software and 'Sex and The City' *Vista Site Selection · Aug 27, 2024* The Economist's 'Carrie Bradshaw Index' shows U.S. cities getting more affordable for solo living. Here's what that means for residential developers. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/residential-development-sex-and-the-city/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/residential-development-sex-and-the-city.md ## Olympic City Site Selection: The Social Infrastructure Los Angeles Needs for 2028 *Vista Site Selection · Aug 7, 2024* The most important part of modern Olympic site selection is something we know well: transportation infrastructure. A look at LA 2028. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/olympic-city-site-selection-la-2028/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/olympic-city-site-selection-la-2028.md ## Why Texas Commands Site Selection Magazine's "Best Counties in America" List *Vista Site Selection · Jul 24, 2024* Texas hosts four of the top 10 in Site Selection Magazine's America's Best Counties. Here's why the Lone Star State dominates site selection. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/texas-best-counties-site-selection/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/texas-best-counties-site-selection.md ## Population Demographic Projections and Residential Development Site Selection *Vista Site Selection · Jul 8, 2024* Population growth alone doesn't prove demand. A residential site selection thought experiment layering population, jobs and income projections. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/population-projections-residential-development/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/population-projections-residential-development.md ## Government Incentives and Site Selection with the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs *Vista Site Selection · Jun 25, 2024* The potential Chiefs and Royals move is a masterclass in how site selection incentives make major economic ventures come together. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/kansas-city-chiefs-incentives-site-selection/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/kansas-city-chiefs-incentives-site-selection.md ## Software, Population Analytics, and Personnel Needs for Aerospace Project Planning...Planes Need Pilots! *Vista Site Selection · Jun 17, 2024* Will the aerospace talent pipeline keep flowing? Population analytics show how workforce age reveals future shortages, using airline pilots as a case study. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/aerospace-personnel-analytics-project-planning/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/aerospace-personnel-analytics-project-planning.md ## Using Site Selection Data Analysis Software to Provide Fiber Optic Internet Access *Vista Site Selection · Jun 4, 2024* Where should fiber optic internet go first? A Michigan case study that layers demand, cost to serve and audience fit to find the best market. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/fiber-optic-internet-site-selection-data/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/fiber-optic-internet-site-selection-data.md ## Understanding the Importance of Labor Supply for DoD Projects *Vista Site Selection · Apr 30, 2024* One key factor for Department of Defense projects is labor supply. Here's why it matters and how Vista's site selection analytics professionals can assist. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/labor-supply-dod-projects/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/labor-supply-dod-projects.md ## Vista to Host Advanced Analytics, AI and the Federal Proposal Process Course at Space Florida *Vista Site Selection · Mar 21, 2024* A 1.5-day interactive course at Space Florida on using workforce analytics, site selection and incentives in federal government proposals. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/advanced-analytics-ai-federal-proposal-space-florida/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/advanced-analytics-ai-federal-proposal-space-florida.md ## 9th Annual Economic Development Incentives Conference a Success *Vista Site Selection · Feb 27, 2024* Vista Site Selection co-presented the 9th Annual Vorys Economic Development Incentives Conference, welcoming over 350 attendees from around the U.S. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/9th-annual-incentives-conference-success/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/9th-annual-incentives-conference-success.md ## Vista Site Selection Helps Ohio Clients Secure TMUD Credits *Vista Site Selection · Jan 30, 2024* Vista clients won 57% ($57 million) of the TMUD dollars awarded in the program's third round, including the two highest-scored applications. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/vista-helps-ohio-clients-tmud-credits/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/vista-helps-ohio-clients-tmud-credits.md ## Troan Interviewed on The Business Facilities Podcast *Vista Site Selection · Oct 26, 2023* Jeff Troan on The Business Facilities Podcast: the value of data analytics for aerospace and defense site selection. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/troan-business-facilities-podcast/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/troan-business-facilities-podcast.md ## Magill Quoted in Story on Ohio's Brownfield Remediation and Building Demo Grant Programs *Vista Site Selection · Jul 17, 2023* Chris Magill in Columbus Business First on Ohio continuing its brownfield remediation and demolition programs, with half a billion dollars set aside. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/magill-ohio-brownfield-remediation-grants/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/magill-ohio-brownfield-remediation-grants.md ## Choosing the Most Optimal Site: On-Demand Webinar *Vista Site Selection · Jun 15, 2023* Vista's Matt Samler and Chris Magill co-presented a webinar on site selection best practices as part of the Vorys Grow in Ohio 12-part webinar series. Read: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/choosing-optimal-site-webinar/ · Markdown: https://www.vistasiteselection.com/blog/choosing-optimal-site-webinar.md --- **Vista Site Selection, LLC**, data-driven site selection, incentives, and economic impact advisory. Majority-owned by Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP. 52 East Gay Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215 · Info@vistasiteselection.com · https://www.vistasiteselection.com