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By: Erin Smith
The members of Bladen’s Bloomin’ Agri-Industrial, Bladen County Board of Commissioners, the Elizabethtown Town Council, and business leaders, all gathered at Cape Fear Vineyard and Winery on Thursday for the unveiling of a master plan for the Elizabethtown Industrial Park.
Bladen County Economic Development Director Chuck Heustess addressed those in attendance. He said that Bladen’s Bloomin’ Agri-Industral thanks the various sources of funding for the master plan. He said those that assisted with funding the project included the Bladen County Committee of 100, Bladen County, town of Elizabethtown, Four County Electric Membership Corporation, and Star Telephone.
Heustess told those gathered that the 300-acre park is about 15 years old and is only about 20 percent developed. The new master plan offers both large and small lots from which businesses can choose, based upon their needs. The site plan also shows where existing water and sewer lines and roads are located.
Heustess also discussed the economic impact of the industrial park on the county. He said that the industries located in the park have created about 245 jobs. Heustess said the plan also revealed that the industries at the park also create related jobs in the county totaling about 47 jobs and throughout the southeast region, the park generates about 97 jobs.
Heustess also said that the industrial park also said that the average wages paids to a full-time employee working range from $32,200 to $45,000. These wage are slightly higher than the average wages paid to a full-time employee working in the county, which is about $35,000. Heustess said this figure is skewed slightly due to Smithfield Foods. He said related to that figure is the fact that retail sales generated by employees working at the park are about $4 million per year.
He stressed that all of these figures do not include Bladen County EMS, which is also located at the industrial park, because they were already operating in the county before relocating to the park.
Heustess said he was appreciative of the new master plan as he has already had the occasion to use it when a company visited the industrial park last week. He said the new company has the potential to bring between 200 to 400 new jobs should they choose to locate in Bladen County.
Elizabethtown Town Manager Eddie Madden also addressed the meeting and discussed plans for a new terminal building at the airport. Madden opened his remarks by noting the aviation industry is one of the fastest growing industries. He said as a result, the town of Elizabethtown met with officials from the NC Division on Aviation and pitched the airport to them as a potential investment. Madden said as a result, the town received a grant in the amount of $1.2 million to extend the airport taxiway to the industrial park.
Madden said the project is under way with the land having been cleared in preparation for the taxiway work to begin. He said the investment did not stop there.
Madden said the town has also been awarded a grant from the Division on Aviation in the amount of $1.1 million to construct a new terminal building. He said the town is working with Chris Adams on the design of the new terminal building. The new building will measure about 4,200 square feet and will feature classroom space as well as a conference room, a lobby, a pilot’s lounge and office space.
He said the current terminal will be demolished and the new terminal building will be constructed in its place.
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