News & Press
- Greater Statesville Development Corporation Launches
- 05/25/2010
More than 90 community and business leaders from the Greater Statesville area met this morning at the Statesville Civic Center to help the Greater Statesville Development Corporation (GSDC) kick off the "Opportunity 2015" campaign. The event, which was guest-hosted by WSIC radio personality Billy Buck, featured several speakers making the case for local economic development and unveiling a five-year campaign to create jobs and increase investment in the region.
Speaking on behalf of Iredell County, County Manager Joel Mashburn affirmed the county's commitment to economic development and to continued partnership with the GSDC in maintaining the area's employment and tax base.Representing the City of Statesville, Mayor Costi Kutteh also spoke about partnerships and the value of working together to recruit new business and assist existing industry. He also spoke of the inherent value in demonstrating pride in the community and the tangible results which economic development has delivered over the years.C. Michael Smith, executive director of the GSDC, said his agency has been "successful in creating jobs and investment over the past several years," stating that Greater Statesville has been the No. 1 Micropolitan for new and expanding industry seven of the last eight years, but also noting the increased competition between communities for projects."We're seeing companies looking for new facilities and expecting pad-ready sites with all the geo-tech and engineering work done up-front," Smith said. "The funds raised in this campaign will allow the GSDC to better position Greater Statesville relative to other communities who are vying for the same jobs and investment, and to develop more and better sites for those prospects to consider."David Steele, Vice-President of J.C. Steele & Sons, Inc., and a Campaign General Chairman,.said the GSDC expects to create 2,000 new jobs and attract $150 million in new capital investment over the next five years. Those 2,000 new jobs will generate additional annual payroll of $64.2 million which, in turn, will be spent on groceries, auto sales, dry cleaning, electric bills, houses, sporting events and so forth, spurring development in all areas of the local economy.Bill Leach, current Chairman of the GSDC Board of Directors and also a Campaign General Chairman added, "You would be hard pressed to find a business that won't benefit from this increase in local payroll." He went on to say that while the organization has been very successful, even in difficult economic times, "The competition for new jobs and investment is becoming increasingly intense and the strategies that have served the community well in the past will not necessarily be as effective in this more competitive environment. Without new funding our economic development efforts will be impacted."Harry Tsumas, of Tsumas Real Satiate and Development, announced that companies already have pledged $561,050, or 62 percent, of the money the GSDC projects it will need from the private sector over the next five years in order to remain competitive in recruiting and retention. With Iredell County, the City of Statesville and the Town of Troutman already contributing about $1.2 million to the agency, officials say the GSDC will have $3.1 million to reach its five-year job creation and new capital investment goals.Tsumas Real Estate and Development invested in the campaign because it expects "a return on investment," Tsumas told the audience. Companies attracted to the Greater Statesville area "keep our businesses growing."So far, six private-sector companies have pledged at the Platinum Level; Duke Energy, ElectriCities, G.L. Wilson Building Company, Holland Realty & Mortgage Co., L. Gordon Iron & Metal Company, and Wachovia, a Wells Fargo Company.
The campaign also named the companies that have given five-year pledges at other levels of
giving:
Gold Level; Davis Regional Medical Center and P.S. West Construction and Realty.Silver Level; EnergyUnited, Interstate Development Corporation, Piedmont Bank, Toyota West, Tsumas Real Estate & Development.Bronze Level; American Stainless Tubing, Inc., Bell and Howard Chevrolet, Binder Chiropractic, G.S. Carolina, J.C. Steele & Sons, Inc., McDonalds, Walker Robinson Clark Insurance Agency and Wynncom.
To facilitate the campaign, the GSDC has hired Convergent Nonprofit Solutions, and in the next eight to ten weeks, its representatives will call on another 100 businesses in the region to seek a pledge. Glen Easter serves as campaign director for Convergent.
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115 East Front Street, Statesville, NC 28677
Phone:704.871.0062 Fax:704.871.0223 Email: info@greaterstatesville.org Site Map