Just where exactly in Virginia the Gatorade plant will make its home has not yet been revealed, as is the case with news on the size of the facility. And while the specific location remains a mystery, Northern Virginia could very well be on the candidacy list because of its close proximity to Interstate 66, a highway that provides a direct link to Interstate 81, which runs through Maryland and Pennsylvania.

In recent years, the Northern Virginia area has proven to be a destination for companies seeking to build or lease both large and small manufacturing and distribution centers. In May 2002, Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly announced it would develop a 600,000-sf insulin manufacturing facility for $425 million in Prince William County; and England's M&H Plastics revealed just last year its plan to establish its first US manufacturing facility in a 65,000-sf building in a Frederick County industrial park.