Word on the location of the town's, and county's, first business incubator is expected within a few weeks.

Town Manager John Wells said town staff has been meeting with the owners of several locations currently under consideration for the project. The incubator, which would be operated in partnership with the George Mason Enterprise Center, would house start-up businesses and provide them with the knowledge and expertise of center staff in beginning their new endeavors.

The project launched just less than a year ago, when Keith Segerson, managing director of the Mason Enterprise Center, presented the results of a feasibility study he conducted on whether the town would be a suitable location for an incubator. Segerson said locating such a center in the town would allow Leesburg to be considered the center of innovation and provide an attractive tool by which to recruit entrepreneurs. When these businesses grow out of the start-up phase and look to locate beyond the incubator, locating in the town's supply of office space would be attractive, he said. This would come in line with one of the town's goals of expanding its commercial tax base.

In addition to the expertise offered by center staff, incubators typically also provide a company's fully furnished office space, reception service, mail service, Internet access, parking and other amenities as part of the base rental fees.

Businesses that utilize Mason Enterprise Center incubators have a success rate of around 84 percent, compared with the average 20 percent success rate for small start-up businesses, Segerson said.

Segerson said several entities have expressed interest in possibility collocating with a Mason Enterprise Center in Leesburg, including the Small Business Development Center and the town's Economic Development Department.

Wherever the incubator lands, Segerson said it is a great opportunity for any landlord to secure it as a tenant.

"Landlords are facing tough times with empty spaces; Mason Enterprise Center brings great visibility to the space, a lot of [foot] traffic. We do graduate companies that entered small and leave larger and landlords can then recruit those companies to stay in their space," he said.

According to Economic Development Manager Marantha Edwards, dozens of property owners responded to a Request for Information sent out by the town in 2009.

Wells said town and Mason Enterprise Center staffs are continuing to meet to determine the best offers for the town incubator space.

"In my mind we have not really eliminated anybody," Wells said. "The deal is in the details; as things are negotiated that may push things further ahead."

Wells said he expects to come to the Town Council and Board of Supervisors with a proposal on a chosen location and negotiated terms of an agreement in February. The town manager said he has had some initial conversations with County Administrator Tim Hemstreet about possibly bringing forward a Memorandum of Understanding to the county board, should the county have an interest in participating in the incubator in some form.