May Activity Report
2022
Program Focus Areas Existing Business Activity ̴ Business Recruitment ̴ Real Estate Development Project
Averages Project Averages
Project Activity Stats
Active and Missed 41 Missed Projects Over Last 12 Months
51 JOBS
JOBS 317
43
SQUARE FEET THOUSAND SQUARE FEET 227K
16 ACRES
ACRES 63
$3.7 INVESTMENT
MILLION INVESTMENT $299.8M
5
1
May 2022
Retention & Expansion
Existing Business Current and YTD Total
1
Activity Since July 1, 2021
UNIQUE VISITS
69
2
FOLLOW UP VISITS
56 Total Visits YTD: 125 Visit Goal: 100
Spring Entrepreneurial Grant Winners Announced Six local small businesses were announced as receiving Entrepreneurial Grants from the Wilkes Economic Development Corporation at the EDC’s board meeting on Friday, June 10, 2022. This is the annual Entrepreneurial Grant Program competition awarded by the EDC, with the program being held twice this year thanks to several generous local sponsors. Fourteen local businesses of various types applied for this year’s program, including agriculture, massage therapy, pet boarding, cleaning services, and a previous grant winner who has the opportunity to expand. Applicants were asked to submit a video pitch in addition to their business plans and financials summaries to give the judges insight into their proposed use of funds. Submissions were judged based on potential funding impact to the business, and the sustainability of each respective recipient. Grant amounts totaling $10,100 were distributed between the six winners. Learn about each of the winners by downloading the full Press Release, or visiting the EDC’s website.
Program Stats
28
PARTNER MEETINGS
148
3
REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT
April Unemployment Rate
3.5%
No Change from March
Regional April Rate is 3.2%. State April Rate is 3.4%.
56
22
SOLUTIONS PROVIDED
226
July Unemployment Rate Ju
May 2022
Gov. Cooper Visits NW Speedway for 75th Anniversary On May 17th, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper spoke to local government and business officials on the 75th Anniversary of the first race that took place on the historic track. Governor Cooper recognized the Speedway as a cornerstone of life in Wilkes County, both as an economic driver and a community gathering place. His fund designation for racetracks across the state was intended to bring back North Carolina’s economy stronger than after the pandemic; he thanked the community for its strong support of the We Want You Back campaign, and the work to engage Speedway Motorsports in plans to reopen. North Wilkesboro Speedway will receive $18 million toward infrastructure improvements to extend water and sewer lines from local municipalities to the speedway facility.
Wilkes Commercial Business Center Update Work in underway at the Wilkes Commercial Business Center site. The site is located off of Hwy 268 near Liberty Grove Rd and the Wilkes County Airport in North Wilkesboro. The 31,703 SF flex space is suitable for single or multi tenant use. Delivery is expected December 2022. To keep up with updates, visit WCBC site updates on EDC page. For more information pre-leasing, please contact LeeAnn Nixon by emailing LNixon@WilkesEDC.com.
Wilkes EDC Awarded SITE Program Grant by The Golden LEAF Foundation Wilkes EDC is grateful to announce that Golden LEAF has accepted our grant application for the SITE Program – Identification. Going through the identification process will position the EDC to identify an industrial site, then we should be well received to apply for due diligence funds, and later go back and apply for development funds, all part of the SITE Program phases. In the first phase, a team of site development consultants engaged directly by Golden LEAF will work with the community to learn more about Wilkes’s economic development opportunities and strategies. Using insight and information about the community’s infrastructure and assets, the consultants will conduct a GIS review of properties. The process will help narrow sites for further consideration of development. Read the full Press Release here.