SEIDA Activity Report July to December 2015

Southeast Industrial Development Association July thru December 2015

Company Announcements throughout the Region        

Yanfeng RemSource Dixie Group Mohawk Industries (Gordon County, GA) West Star Aviation Vanguard National Trailer Corporation Roper McKee Foods

Upcoming Events 2016   

Rural Development Conference—March 29-30 TVA ED Forum—April 6-7 Hannover Messe—April 24-29

   

2016 Board Meeting Dates February 10 May 11 August 10 November 9

Project Activity Industrial Recruitment & Expansions Prospective Company Visits Potential Capital Investment

11 213.5M

Potential Job Creation/Retention

1319

RFI/RFPs Received

23

Existing Industry Contacts

40

SEIDA was honored to host our economic development partners across the region at Shoe Booties Cafe in Murphy, North Carolina. Attendees learned of the Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino project and toured the facility just before the grand opening September 28, 2015.

NGEMC held its 79th Annual Membership Meeting at the Northwest Georgia Trade and Convention Center in Dalton on August 6, 2015.

Local law enforcement, military personnel, veterans, as well as other emergency responders were recognized during the meeting.

More than 1,700 members attended including SEIDA staff.

MARKETING  Regional Advertising Opportunities 2016 Tennessee Economic Development Guide Chattanooga Regional Economic Development Initiative—Business Climate  SR² Program (5)  Update of SEIDA Marketing Video  New Community Profiles  Aerial Imagery  NWT Golf Tournament Sponsor  Cherokee County Fair (NC) Sponsor  Hannover Messe 2016

Cherokee County Fair, North Carolina

SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT  Bledsoe County Small Biz Workshop – Sept 2015 INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT  Regional Employment Wage & Benefit Survey

SETDD Strategic Planning Session

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT  SETDD Strategic Planning Session – Aug 2015  Tennessee Governor’s Conference on Economic & Community Development – Oct 2015 TN Governor’s Conference

www.seida.info

Southeast Industrial Development Association July thru December 2015 Building Entrepreneurs in Rural Communities: Free interactive workshop to help entrepreneurs and small businesses The Southeast Industrial Development Association in conjunction with Bledsoe, Rhea and Sequatchie Counties offered the opportunity for entrepreneurs and small businesses to learn about business resources by hosting a Small Business & Entrepreneur Resource Market on September 29 in Pikeville, TN.

Panel of Entrepreneurs

Participants heard from local entrepreneurs on their successes ad struggles in regards to opening and running a small business in a rural community. Local officials and leaders learned ways to improve business climate in their communities. Attendees enjoyed networking opportunities among the products and services offered throughout the East TN region.

New Plant Coming to Dade County, GA; Creating 400 Jobs Vanguard National Trailer Corp., a semi-trailer manufacturer based in Monon, Ind., plants to invest $30 million and create 400 jobs in Dade County, Georgia.

Vanguard will develop nearly 100 acres of land and build a new 350,000– square-foot manufacturing facility in the recently expanded Dade County Industrial Park in Trenton, GA. [Source: Timesfreepress] Governor Haslam, Commissioner Boyd announce new Rural Economic Development Fund TN Gov. Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd announced on October 13, 2015 the state will invest $8 million in a new Rural Development Fund Grant to build capacity for transformative economic development strategies in rural Tennessee.

The Rural Development Fund Grant will provide an initial $6 million for Site Development Grants for communities to help move economic development sites to shovel-ready status as part of the state’s nationally recognized Select Tennessee Site Certification Program.

The new initiative will also fund $1 million in grants for enhancement of tourism sites in rural communities as well as $600,000 for additional ThreeStar community grants including a Main Street Business Incubator program for downtown business districts. [Source: TNECD] Chattanooga Implements World’s First Community-wide 10 Gigabit Internet Service On October 15, Electric Power Board (EPB) announced the new offering of the world’s first 10 gigabit (10 Gig) Internet service to be made available for access to every home and business in the utility’s 600 square mile service area through Alcatel-Lucent’s TWDM-PON broadband technology.

Known as the “Gig City,” Chattanooga has become a hotbed for technology and entrepreneurship since EPB first launched the fiber optic network in September 2010. [Source: epb.net] Union Grove Interchange Officially Opens National, state and local dignitaries, as well as members of the local business community, attended a ribbon cutting on Tuesday, Nov. 10, for the grand opening of the I-75 and Union Grove Road interchange, Exit 310.

The interchange was part of transportation improvement projects throughout the state that the Georgia Department of Transportation initiated bids for. A total of $73.7 million was awarded for 32 total projects.

The project also included construction of a bridge and its approaches over I-75 and the realignment of Johnson Lake / Belwood Road. [Source: CalhounTimes] P.O. Box 4757 ● Chattanooga, TN 37405 ● www.seida.info