N.C. Global Transpark...Right idea wrong location?

[kmurphy19662003]

Remember all of the excitement regarding the North Carolina Global Transpark back in the early 90's? It was supposed to create thousands of jobs for the city that was picked for the location. Would it have been more successful if were located nearer a major population center? When Fed-Ex chose Greensboro for it's Mid-Atlantic hub over the Global Transpark I think this validated that Kinston was the wrong place for this development. What do you think?

[Eastwestrob]

Remember all of the excitement regarding the North Carolina Global Transpark back in the early 90's? It was supposed to create thousands of jobs for the city that was picked for the location. Would it have been more successful if were located nearer a major population center? When Fed-Ex chose Greensboro for it's Mid-Atlantic hub over the Global Transpark I think this validated that Kinston was the wrong place for this development. What do you think?

Never really have understood the whole concept.

[monsoon]

It was political pork barrel project designed by the rural politics dominated NC Legislature to pour endless amounts of tax money into a backwash of NC in hopes of making it something that it isn't. If they were going to build somethink like this, it should have gone near one of the 3 major urban areas.

[DanRNC]

NC Research Campus (aka Dole Project)=GTP. Mark my words. Boondoggle.

[DCMetroRaleigh]

At Least people are much more likely to want to live in or near Kannapolis than Kinston.

[NcSc74]

So what you guys are saying is forget about the other citizens of the state and don't give the region a chance regain lost jobs. I think it was a good try. Remeber this region was devastated by floods by hurricanes and a lot of people had to leave and start over somewhere else. I don't understand it when people think the eastern part of the state does not deserve some way of advancement. If was a pork project so what. The goal was to try and help residents downeast keep up and not get left behind in this new global economy.

[monsoon]

Well honestly, I do feel that way. We can't urbanize every pig path in NC as we will end up a state that has been sprawled over by Walmarts, fast food joints and tract housing. My suggestion to people in rural areas looking for jobs is they move to one of the urban areas in NC.

[kmurphy19662003]

Watching the news reports on the groundbreaking in Kannapolis is what reminded me of the Global Transpark. I hope Murdoch can make it work, but I think it is a pipe dream.

[dubone]

Well, the difference is that it is mostly private money. Even the University investments are in part done with private donations. University research laboratories can't every be considered a boondoggle, especially compared to an airport in the middle of nowhere.

Kannapolis is in the heart of the piedmont urban crescent, and if this really does fail to attract additional private investment (it is unlikely considering the huge seed money going into it), then at least the core investment will reap its own rewards (in terms of research and knowledge).

Global Transpark is just proving to be a complete waste. Many people in the legistlature probably believe Kinston IS an urban area. That is why they keep trying to build all these freeways and airports and other major projects in the area. I used to think it was important to improve the economic standing of eastern NC. Now, I think they should do only a few major investments out there:

- Expand Wilmington's port to better compete with Charleston and Norfolk

- Complete the freeway connection between Raleigh and Norfolk and the OBX

- Build a freeway between Charlotte and Wilmington

- Invest in technologies to reduce the pollution from livestock waste, possibly to create new energy

THAT IS IT!

Urban jobs and investments should go in the urban areas. NC consistently underfunds infrastructure in its cities, that could reap significantly more returns than Transpark or any random beltway or redundant freeway project down east. Just like everywhere else in the world, if the rural areas are becoming too populated to support everyone economically, a subset of those people should move to the city and participate in the existing urban economy.

[DanRNC]

Its a boondoggle in that the taxpayers of NC have to fork over almost $30 million a year to keep this thing running before you factor in inflation. Many of things that sank GTP will dog this project namely trying to recruit a specific industry into an area that is not qualified for that. All labor will essentially have to be recruited from outside the area. Most biotech companies list 2 factors for relocation to an area: availability of a qualified, trained workforce and infrastructure. Kannapolis lacks both.

[sax184]

Its a boondoggle in that the taxpayers of NC have to fork over almost $30 million a year to keep this thing running before you factor in inflation. Many of things that sank GTP will dog this project namely trying to recruit a specific industry into an area that is not qualified for that. All labor will essentially have to be recruited from outside the area. Most biotech companies list 2 factors for relocation to an area: availability of a qualified, trained workforce and infrastructure. Kannapolis lacks both.

GTP and Kannapolis are two different things. You can be a highly-educated researcher or executive and live in Kannapolis with easy access to I-85, the Charlotte-Douglas Airport, not to mention fast train service on the NCRR mainline within walking distance of the research complex in a historic mill town.

When the northeast light rail is built, a short drive from Kannapolis to near I 485 will allow someone to board the train there and have access to all the amenities and culture of central city Charlotte.

GTP is in the middle of nowhere. It's 2-3 hours from a major airport, it's 2-3 hours from any significant cultural institutions and far off the radar of university graduates. Younger people who want the city life can live in uptown charlotte and commute to Kannapolis.

[dubone]

You raise a good criticism, though, about NCRC. I think some of it is mitigated by the fact that Kannapolis is commutable from Winston-Salem, Charlotte and Greensboro. Not that it would be great for many to do that, but a 30-45 minute commute from those cities is considered reasonable for many people. That means NCRC can easily pull from the workforce of both the Triad and Charlotte.

With passenger rail times improving, rail becomes a good commuting option between Raleigh, Durham, Greenboro, and Charlotte to NCRC.

Tranpark is so remote, there are no good options. People would need to live in a small town in order to work there. That poses a serious recruitment and retention problem for professional-tier employees.

[Jerseyman4]

Rocky Mount and Wilson would of been better cities to host the transpark than Kinston. Its close enough to Raleigh and close to the major limited access highways

[NcSc74]

The GTP was not intended to urbanize eastern NC. It was an attempt to get a jump start in global trade. Whether you like it or not folks in eastern NC pay taxes just like everyone else. I agree the location was not the smartest. I always thought Wilmington would be better. It just makes common sense to me.

[Jerseyman4]

folks in eastern NC pay taxes just like everyone else

And deserve a fair share of progress too by four laning many of the two lane primary roads allover eastern Carolina. Todays economy cannot prosper with the dominance of two lane rural highways criss crossing everywhere.

[kmurphy19662003]

Piedmont Triad International was a finalist for the GTP even though it was probably a forgone conclusion that it was going to Kinston. I wonder if it would have made any difference to the Triad economies if this had happened. Mabey the Triad could have reaped some of the rewards years before the coming of Fed Ex.

[Jerseyman4]

^are you the same Kent Murphy, the news anchor, from WECT-TV in Wilmington?????

I believe 2003 was the retirement year when Jim Hantchett took over.

[kmurphy19662003]

^are you the same Kent Murphy, the news anchor, from WECT-TV in Wilmington?????

I believe 2003 was the retirement year when Jim Hantchett took over.

No, but I know who you are referring to, I remember when we went to the beach back in the 70's he was the news anchor.

[dubone]

The GTP was not intended to urbanize eastern NC. It was an attempt to get a jump start in global trade. Whether you like it or not folks in eastern NC pay taxes just like everyone else. I agree the location was not the smartest. I always thought Wilmington would be better. It just makes common sense to me.

It wasn't directly for urbanizing eastern NC, but it was about bringing non-agriculture jobs there, which indirectly is an attempt to do that.

As for the taxes, eastern NC doesn't pay that much in taxes. Obviously the individuals that are there are paying taxes, but there aren't that many of them. The Piedmont is an overwhelming majority when it comes to tax revenues. There is definitely a lot of subsidizing (more government spending and investment than tax collection) in the eastern and western counties of the state. I'm not opposed to that, by the way, but the extremely expensive investments, like Transpark and some of the redundant freeways, really annoy me. Those investments could have reaped significantly more economic return for the state if they had been spent in the Piedmont.

Spending excessively on investments in eastern NC is like putting money in a checking account, it makes you feel better knowing it's there, but it only gets a 1% return. It requires a lot more planning and execution to put the money somewhere else, but the return is much higher.

[Eastwestrob]

Well honestly, I do feel that way. We can't urbanize every pig path in NC as we will end up a state that has been sprawled over by Walmarts, fast food joints and tract housing.

Kind of like New Jersey

[rooster8]

While Kinston may not be Lake Norman, calling it a "backwash" is a bit harsh.

[cityboi]

I dont think NC is ready for a Global Transpark and if you build one in NC, the best locations would be in the Triangle, Triad or Charlotte areas and not a rural and remote eastern NC location. The kind of facility just doesnt serve Eastern NC's economy which is primarily agriculture. A global transpark serves a distribution economy which is what you see in Greensboro and Charlotte.

[dubone]

Cityboi, I can't tell if you are being sarcastic, but Global Transpark is already built.

http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=...4&scene=1905461

http://www.ncgtp.com/

[cityboi]

oh yea I know its built (not being sarcastic). I was just saying that NC isnt ready for it thats one big reason why its failing. But it would have done better in the urban areas of the state

[Unifour]

Well honestly, I do feel that way. We can't urbanize every pig path in NC as we will end up a state that has been sprawled over by Walmarts, fast food joints and tract housing. My suggestion to people in rural areas looking for jobs is they move to one of the urban areas in NC.

Amen

Us small town boyz need somewhere that's not a city or a city wanna-be.

However, I do wonder if it's possible to create jobs without turning into a major metropolis. There are quite a few successful smaller towns out there that have been able to prosper, however, when opportunity comes knocking, it usually makes it bigger. I guess there has to be a choice, either stay small and stagnant, or be growing and prosperous. It's a pity we can't maintain a small town and still attract growth.