In a big win for the Alabama Wiregrass region, CSX has designated Dothan’s 365-acre Westgate Super Site as a Platinum CSX Select Site, the railroad’s highest readiness rating for industrial development.
The property is now one of only five Platinum Select Sites in Alabama and just the 33rd across CSX’s entire network.
Select Sites are large, rail-served properties that have already cleared key hurdles such as environmental reviews, zoning and air permits, utility capacity, transportation access, and other due-diligence work, allowing manufacturers to move faster from site selection to shovels in the ground.
According to the railroad, since CSX launched the Select Site program in 2012, designated sites have attracted dozens of projects representing a projected $16.2 billion in capital investment and nearly 13,000 new jobs.
“Achieving Platinum CSX Select Site status is a tremendous milestone for Dothan and the State of Alabama,” Christina Bottomley, vice president of real estate and industrial development at CSX, said.
“This region continues to emerge as one of the most competitive manufacturing corridors in the country — and the Westgate Super Site is now positioned to attract the kind of high-value industrial investment that strengthens domestic supply chains, creates quality jobs, and accelerates long-term economic growth.”
CSX partners with Austin Consulting, a nationally known site-selection firm, to vet candidate properties against stringent criteria for infrastructure, workforce and project risk. Platinum is reserved for the most “project-ready” locations in the program.
“It is uncommon to find such a large, attractive greenfield industrial site, which is both adjacent to the railroad right-of-way and within the city limits,” Jonathan Gemmen, senior director at Austin Consulting said.
“The site is a gem.”
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The Platinum designation caps several years of quiet but aggressive site work by local and state leaders to transform Westgate from farmland into one of Alabama’s next marquee industrial locations.
In 2024, lawmakers representing the Wiregrass delivered a $3.94 million grant from the State Industrial Development Authority (SIDA) under the Site Evaluation and Economic Development Strategy (SEEDS) Act to help the Industrial Development Board of Dothan acquire the Westgate Supersite.
The City of Dothan and Houston County Commission paired that with $3.14 million in local funds.
The SEEDS program was created in 2023 as part of Alabama’s “Game Plan” economic development package specifically to replenish Alabama’s inventory of mega-project-ready sites as the state continues to land large manufacturing and logistics investments.
State Sen. Donnie Chesteen (R-Geneva) and Rep. Paul Lee (R-Dothan) have both pointed to Westgate as a site with the potential to create hundreds of high-wage jobs and make a generational impact in the Wiregrass once a major employer selects the property.
Local leaders have deliberately designed Westgate to check the boxes for energy- and infrastructure-intensive projects.
The site is bordered by a CSX mainline and is already served by robust utility infrastructure from Southeast Gas, Alabama Power, Dothan Utilities and Brightspeed Internet.
Dothan-area economic development materials note that the Westgate Super Site has some of the best electric support in the Southeast, with Alabama Power capable of serving a range of transmission and distribution voltages, while Dothan Utilities provides surplus water and sewer capacity and Brightspeed offers redundant fiber connectivity.
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Those attributes position the site for advanced manufacturing, data-heavy operations and other projects that demand high volumes of power, water, and broadband alongside direct rail access.
“The Platinum Site designation for the Westgate Super Site is a tremendous achievement for Dothan. We sincerely appreciate CSX for recognizing the potential of this site and for their partnership in helping us reach this important milestone,” said Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba.
Houston County Commission Chairman Brandon Shoupe said the new status sends a clear message that the Wiregrass is ready for big-league projects.
“The Platinum Site designation is a major step forward for Houston County and the entire Wiregrass region. We are grateful to CSX for recognizing the strength and readiness of the Westgate Super Site. This site will have a generational impact—bringing new opportunities, quality jobs, and lasting economic growth that will benefit families and businesses across our community for decades to come.”
Companies that ultimately choose Westgate will be able to layer that infrastructure with Alabama’s statewide incentive toolbox, including Jobs Act cash rebates on payroll, state and local tax abatements on eligible capital investment, and additional credits for locating in targeted or rural counties, as well as local incentives offered through the City of Dothan and Houston County for qualifying projects.
Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.
