Economic Development in South Carolina

[CorgiMatt]

Indeed, it will be a major tournament - finale of the Wal-Mart FLW Tour. The main difference is the fact the Bassmaster Classic is considered by everyone in the profession to be THE ultimate fishing tournament in the World. For those who aren't already aware, "Fantasy Fishing" is HUGE, with grand prize payouts topping $1 million plus a potential $5 million bonus prize. It is the highest paying fantasy sport in the world. I learned this just last week. Crazy!

The largest bass fishing tournament in the nation is the one I'm talking about. The Walmart thing already happened. August is Lake Murray's biggy.

http://www.lakemurraycountry.com/events_fishing.html

[goodbye]

The largest bass fishing tournament in the nation is the one I'm talking about. The Walmart thing already happened. August is Lake Murray's biggy.

http://www.lakemurraycountry.com/events_fishing.html

That is the Wal-Mart FLW Tour finale. http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/uploads/emoticons/default_wink.png' alt=';)'> Read the January 27 news update from the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center for more info.

August in Columbia will be interesting. Hopefully the weather will cool down a bit.

Edited February 29, 2008 by Skyliner

[Spartan]

August in Columbia will be interesting. Hopefully the weather will cool down a bit.

I'm hoping for a balmy 103.

[CorgiMatt]

Being that it will be on the lake and bass fishermen apparently fish in August, it should be fine.

[erm1981]

I just hope we dont have anymore 105 degree days in august. The bass dont bite too good in that kind of weather. I remember the water temp was 91 degrees last august when we went out to the lake. That is pretty warm for water.

[krazeeboi]

More details have emerged concerning the international trade facility proposed for Orangeburg County (remember, this is separate from the Jafza International logistics, distribution, and manufacturing mega-facility).

The entire site under consideration, proposed to be an

[GvilleSC]

BMW is investing $750 million, creating 500 new full-time jobs! They will increase annual production from about 150,000 vehicles a year to 240,000 by 2012. Currently, BMW employs about 4,500 full-time workers and 900 temporary workers.

Brief history of BMW in South Carolina:

1994 -- production begins

1998 -- $200 million expansion

2000 -- $300 million expansion

2002 -- $400 million expansion

2008 -- $750 million expansion & 500 jobs

The first three of these expansions created 1,400 new jobs. Now, it will be 1,900.

Over 194 companies make up the extensive network that supports BMW. In order to reduce costs, BMW Manufacturing encourages its suppliers to move closer to the factory and fortunately, many have. There are 52 suppliers in South Carolina, and 40 chose to place new operations in South Carolina to partner with BMW.

BMW's investment in SC has helped create more than 16,650 jobs in the state and the plant maintains a job multiplier of 3.9, meaning for every job created at the plant, nearly three more jobs are created throughout the state.

Sources:

BMW US Factory

Greenville News Article

Edited March 10, 2008 by GvilleSC

[Spartan]

Here the coverage in the Herald-Journal.

This is great news for the Upstate, particularly Spartanburg and Greenville Counties. I like that every time the reinvest, the dollar amount increases.

[GvilleSC]

Here the coverage in the Herald-Journal.

This is great news for the Upstate, particularly Spartanburg and Greenville Counties. I like that every time the reinvest, the dollar amount increases.

Indeed. Jobless rates in both counties should drop significantly as this comes on board in addition to Carolina First's new campus nearing completion. Additionally, if BMW's 1:3 job ratio for the state holds true, 1500 jobs should be coming on line in SC as spin-off (probably centered in the upstate counties).

[btoy]

anybody heard how many square feet the BMW expension will add to the project?

I like how now hte Factory will have major HWY 101 Presence.

Edited March 10, 2008 by btoy

[krazeeboi]

Wow, that's great news; a $750 million expansion is like another new plant being built altogether. I wonder what the average pay will be?

[Spartan]

anybody heard how many square feet the BMW expension will add to the project?

I like how now hte Factory will have major HWY 101 Presence.

1.2 million square feet

[erm1981]

I think BMW starts out at around 17-18 an hour from what ive heard so the pay isnt that bad. Im sure most people there make in the 40,000+ a year or more range. This is great news for the upstate and for south carolina in general.

[Spartan]

^They do. I know of people who make $18/hr to drive the cars from the assembly line to the lot.

[erm1981]

Ive heard of people that are temporary there making the 17/18 an hour so Id say at least 20+ an hour for 100% company employees.

[CorgiMatt]

Who says textiles are dead in South Carolina? Irmo is getting 350 new jobs.

http://www.thestate.com/breaking/story/343974.html

[Spartan]

Wow, congrats Irmo.

It seems that despite this struggling national economy, South Carolina is doing quite well. There have been at least 850 job announcements this week with this thing in Irmo and BMW.

[krazeeboi]

Things are really starting to look up for the big logistics, manufacturing, and distribution development in Orangeburg County. We're starting to see piqued interest among international companies:

Representatives of at least six international companies said their companies are determined to locate facilities at Jafza South Carolina LLC's planned logistics and commerce park in Orangeburg during a luncheon meeting at Jafza's 81-square-mile free trade zone in the United Arab Emirates.

While these company officials told the Charleston Regional Business Journal that their plans in regard to South Carolina are in only preliminary stages, at this time, their combined planned investment in the state would be well in excess of $50 million and result in the creation of an initial 250 jobs.

In addition, Chuck Heath, managing director of Jafza International, Jafza South Carolina LLC's parent company, said a marketing survey conducted in the past 10 days prompted strong interest in the possible expansion of a total of 33 companies into South Carolina as a direct result of the company's purchase of more than 1,300 acres in Orangeburg last September.

[Spartan]

The USR Corporation's Washington Division has opened an office/headquarters in Fort Mill, and eventually plans to employ 400 people. This is pretty much a "Charlotte" development, but its still great news for York County and South Carolina in general.

Herald-Journal Article

[krazeeboi]

Just about every economic development in Fort Mill is a "Charlotte" development, LOL. But it's good that SC and York County will be reaping the bulk of the benefits.

In more York County economic development news, a big distribution center could be coming to Rock Hill's Antrim Business Park, potentially creating up to 700 new jobs.

[GvilleSC]

120 jobs coming to Duncan in Spartanburg County. Master Precision Global LLC, based in Greenville, Michigan will invest $7.25 million on an existing building.

Unfortunately about half the jobs will only pay about $11/hour, though they say the overall average for the facility will exceed $16/hour.

The Greenville News coverage

[krazeeboi]

Well, Forbes has released its 2008 Best Places for Business and Careers rankings, and unfortunately, none of SC's metros placed in the top 50 this year. Columbia ranked 56th, Charleston 89th, Greenville 125th, Myrtle Beach 156th, and Spartanburg 181st. Columbia and Charleston slipped from last year's rankings of 35th and 63rd, respectively, while Greenville inched up just a bit from 134th. Spartanburg also got bumped down a few notches, having placed 174th last year.

When I look at the midsized Southern cities that ranked favorably this year--those that could be called peer cities of the Big Three--I see that they either tend to be state capitals, college towns, or have research campuses that have experienced a respectable degree of success (or some combination of those factors). Those would be Lexington (5), Knoxville (10), Durham (12), and Little Rock (36). That at least gives me some consolation in knowing that our cities appear to be on the right track with the various economic developments that are occurring, with a substantial portion relating to research and the knowledge-based job sector.

[CorgiMatt]

Here's a less than encouraging article about Charleston's port compared to Savannah's. South Carolina needs to get on the ball. As I've said before, thank goodness it's almost as fast to get to Savannah's port as it is to Charleston's from Columbia and the Upstate.

http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2008/ma...t_support34672/

[krazeeboi]

^You're right. Savannah's port has zoomed ahead of Charleston. I actually read where the BMW expansion will help the Port of Savannah just about as much as it will the Port of Charleston, at Charleston's expense at that. I have no idea why state lawmakers don't see the need to look ahead beforehand.

[CorgiMatt]

One problem is that Daniel Island, a housing development that has never taken off or built out they way they wanted it to, has enough homeowners against expansion of the port that their voices so far have overpowered the General Assembly. As I have read in editorials, the locals down there need to remember that it's not their harbor or river or whatever, but the state's, and that the state's economic well-being has to come first.