Economic Development in South Carolina

[GvilleSC]

good news for the Pee Dee!

[Amapper]

The Pee Dee is a nice area and tends to go unnoticed, with most of the attention going to the coast and other larger metro areas. They have seen a steady influx of business over the years.

Edited June 6, 2008 by Amapper

[CorgiMatt]

The recent huge Lake Murray fishing tournament has paid off. South Carolina is making a name for itself in the fishing industry.

http://www.swampfox.ws/node/26955

[CorgiMatt]

Only one South Carolina Starbucks to close on their list of 600 closings.

http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/USStoreClosureInfo.pdf

[Spartan]

Since the closure is really only affecting Spartanburg and not multiple cities in the state, please direct any discussion on this topic to the Spartanburg Area Developments thread. Thanks.

[CorgiMatt]

I didn't think I should create a Starbucks thread and I didn't think it would be appropriate to single out Spartanburg. The fact that Starbucks is closing 600 stores nationwide and only one in South Carolina is in my opinion a positive economic note for the whole state. But who am I to question?

[krazeeboi]

Inc.com has just released its 2008 list of the Best Cities for Doing Business. Here's how the state's metros fared:

Midsized metros

6. Charleston (up 9 places from last year)

18. Greenville (up 34 places from last year)

19. Columbia (up 5 places from last year)

Small metros

8. Myrtle Beach (up 5 places from last year)

Besides the economic performance of the metros themselves (Greenville's rise in the ranks is especially impressive), a significant factor that aided the improved rankings of the state's metros was the housing foreclosure crisis/mortgage meltdown in metros that were previously considered "hot" markets, many of which are in Florida. Ft. Myers-Cape Coral ranked No. 1 last year in the midsize category but plummeted 42 places this year. Naples-San Marco Island, No. 4 last year, plummeted 105 places, the most of any metro in the survey.

[Spartan]

Go Gville! I wonder what held it back last year? I don't perceive that much of a change from 1 year ago. Seems like they should have been ranked this highly before.

[breed]

Go Gville! I wonder what held it back last year? I don't perceive that much of a change from 1 year ago. Seems like they should have been ranked this highly before.

I think it's more a product of everyone coming down to our level. Here's our new motto...

Welcome to Greenville, now we probably suck less than where you live.

Disclaimer: this is not a dig on Greenville, it was merely a childish post made in jest.

[GvilleSC]

The Post and Courier is reporting that Charleston's Apple Store is opening this Saturday. It is being labelled as SC's first according to the P&C. In actuality, Clemson is also claiming their Apple retail store to be South Carolina's first. Clemson's is up and running in the Student Union, though an official grand opening is scheduled for August 20.

In a bold move to empower Mac users at Clemson and to help solidify support for multiple computing platforms, CCIT has opened a retail Apple store in the heart of campus.

The Clemson Apple Store, the first in South Carolina, carries a full selection of Apple products including laptops, iPods, monitors and accessories. "We carry just about everything Apple, except iPhones," commented Domke.

Edit: Here's the link to CCIT's news bulliten about the new store: http://www.clemson.edu/ccit/about/news/?id=207

Edited July 22, 2008 by GvilleSC

[CorgiMatt]

Home Depot will be locating a warehouse/distribution facility at I-26 and I-77 that will serve several states and create 300 jobs in Dixiana near Columbia in Lexington County.

http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2008/ju...use_central_sc/

[teshadoh]

I didn't think I should create a Starbucks thread and I didn't think it would be appropriate to single out Spartanburg. The fact that Starbucks is closing 600 stores nationwide and only one in South Carolina is in my opinion a positive economic note for the whole state. But who am I to question?

Or that Starbucks has been more conservative about store placement. Go to Atlanta or larger metro areas & the number of Starbucks within close proximity to one another is mind boggling. Or also Starbucks had started a trend of placing a new store in every new shopping center - as is the case here in Longmont, some shopping centers are speculative as there are few people to support them, assuming more people will move in. As the news has reported, a majority of Starbucks that are closing are less than 2 years old.

Besides - who needs Starbucks when most towns have locally owned / operated cafes.

[GvilleSC]

A local start up company in Greenville is expanding! Innegrity is increasing its employment by 150 jobs. You can read more about their high-tech business and the jobs here: http://www.greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs..../808080322/1003

It's great to see local business grow!

[krazeeboi]

The state Department of Commerce and the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce

[monsoon]

The Post and Courier is reporting that Charleston's Apple Store is opening this Saturday. It is being labelled as SC's first according to the P&C. In actuality, Clemson is also claiming their Apple retail store to be South Carolina's first. Clemson's is up and running in the Student Union, though an official grand opening is scheduled for August 20.

Edit: Here's the link to CCIT's news bulliten about the new store: http://www.clemson.edu/ccit/about/news/?id=207

Funny that Apple does not recognize this as a real Apple Store. The only SC store listed on their website is the one in Charleston. Maybe they consider the clemson store to be a reseller except I don't even find that listed. In any case, I would consider the store in Charleston to be the only real Apple store in the state. I chalk it up to bad or boosterism reporting of the Clemson news source.

[krazeeboi]

The Milken Institute, an economic think tank, has released its 2008 Best Performing Cities list, which ranks U.S. metropolitan areas by how well they are creating and sustaining jobs and economic growth. The components include job, wage and salary and technology growth. Here's how the state's metros fared:

10. Charleston (up from 12th last year)

19. Myrtle Beach (down from 11th)

36. Columbia (up from 69th)

68. Greenville (up from 121st)

183. Spartanburg (up from 187th)

Source

[gman430]

Charleston ranked 11th, Greenville ranked 12th, and Columbia ranked 34th for hottest job markets in the nation: http://www.bizjournals.com/specials/pages/200.html

[gman430]

Gov. Mark Sanford and other officials are scheduled to appear on the steps of the Laurens County courthouse Tuesday for an economic development announcement that is being billed as the single-largest corporate investment in the county

[GvilleSC]

That's great news for Laurens County! I can't wait to hear who it is.

[Spartan]

Good for Laurens. They need some jobs down there.

[gman430]

New plant at airport to create 105 jobs in Lexington County: http://www.thestate.com/business/story/554241.html

A $230 million ethanol plant and more than 40 jobs are coming to Chester County: http://www.thestate.com/breaking/story/554549.html

Edited October 14, 2008 by citylife

[krazeeboi]

Good news all around, though I wish we'd get more news about white-collar and high-tech jobs.

Concerning the Laurens County development, the company is Fitesa, a Brazilian manufacturer of nonwoven fabrics. The company makes polypropylene nonwoven fabrics used in a variety of products, including disposable diapers, hospital clothes and home furnishings. Marvin Moss, Laurens County

[CorgiMatt]

To be the largest single investment ever in the county, I was expecting something like $250 million and at least 200 jobs, but the state can be happy to get what it gets in this economy, and certainly it's great for Laurens County.

[Spartan]

According to The State, Lauren's County is getting 80 jobs from the deal. While not as big as I had hoped, during these times SC is fortunate to see ANY new jobs.

The State

[goodbye]

Two large hospital systems in Greenville are really boosting the economy by promising to add well over 1000 new jobs. Greenville Hospital System is currently in the process of adding 800 new jobs, while Bon Secours St. Francis Health System is planning a sleek new hospital at Millennium Campus, where they plan to add 500 new employees. Meanwhile, the new Village Hospital and new Greer Memorial Hospital, both located in Greer, are just beginning to serve the growing community surrounding GSP International Airport.

Edited October 16, 2008 by Skyliner