Haywood County Economic Development Commission
Annual Report 2007 - 2008
2007 - 2008 Printer Friendly Version
The Haywood County Economic Development Commission includes representatives from the four county municipalities, as well as representatives from the Employment Security Commission, Haywood Advancement Foundation, Haywood County Chamber of Commerce and the Haywood County Board of Commissioners. This structure allows a collaborative effort between governmental entities and draws support from the County Commissioners.
Mark Clasby, Executive Director of the Haywood County EDC and the Haywood Advancement Foundation, has been very active, meeting with prospects for new and existing businesses in the county, while negotiating the sale and development of county properties. Some of these negotiations are still in progress.
Site #3 at Beaverdam Industrial Park is preparing to be leveled to provide 10 acres for other potential businesses with which Mr. Clasby is now working. Mr. Clasby has also brought to conclusion an on-going dispute involving the protection of property rights along the Beaverdam Industrial Park right of way.
We have been working since 2004 with Commercial Developers SE and Cedarwood Development who have razed the Dayco facility in south Waynesville and intends to replace it with Home Depot, Super Wal-Mart and other retailers, including a bank and restaurants, which should be open for business by fall of 2008. A contract for sale was completed the end of July 2007 and this sale should result in at least 600 or more jobs. The developed property will bear the name Waynesville Commons.
We were involved in 2007 in the second Business Plan Competition with the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce and Haywood Community College, which awarded $10,000 to a new business in Haywood County. This competition will be repeated in 2008.
The EDC office also updates and prints an annual “Brief Economic Facts” flyer that is available to the public, which offers demographics and information about Haywood County. The most recent was printed in August 2006 and a revision is to be done mid 2007.
In September 2006, it was announced that Ghost Town In The Sky, an amusement park in Maggie Valley, had been sold to new owners who intend to redevelop the property and reopen in May 2007. The EDC was instrumental in acquiring a grant of $12,000 from AdvantageWest and providing matching funds in the amount of $12,000 from the EDC, to assist with this redevelopment.
Interest had been generated during 2006 to revitalize the building of an airport in Haywood County for VLJ’s (very light jets). Mr. Clasby and others researched prior studies and previous task force results while receiving feedback via public comment. It was determined in October 2006 that due to the negative feedback, amount of funds needed and lack of available land to develop the airport, the airport project would not be pursued.
The EDC Board recently approved funds to assist Maggie Valley with a Study to be performed by the Buxton Group to determine desirable retail businesses to grow the town economically.
The Haywood County EDC has become more involved in the Small Business Incubator where our offices are located. We handled accounting and management of the facility until a new director was hired in April of 2006, and since have been involved as a member of Smoky Mountain Development’s board and assist with redevelopment and management of the incubator. We are involved with the committee to re-establish the incubator to grow new business and meet with potential clients who are interested in renting space, as well as assist current businesses toward graduation.
The EDC is one of the county’s most proactive and involved organizations, as it relates to growing and building our economy and job base.
Goals for the next fiscal year include:
1) Finalizing the sale and development of the Dayco facility
2) Finalizing the sale and development of Beaverdam Site #3
3) Making more business development trips with CarolinaWest
4) Revising and updating our website to be more comprehensive
5) Assisting in bringing affordable workforce housing to Haywood County
6) Encouraging entrepreneurial enterprises and working with existing businesses to assist them in their growth, which in turn will aid in improving the quality of life for the citizens of Haywood County.