Job Creation Plan · North Carolina Department of Commerce . Rural Economic Division . NC Main Street and Rural Planning Center . Job Creation Plan for Distressed Communities in Columbus

County of Columbus North Carolina

Job Creation Plan for Distressed Communities in Columbus County NC

March 2019

For the Columbus County Economic Development Commission by the

North Carolina Department of Commerce Rural Economic Division

NC Main Street and Rural Planning Center

Job Creation Plan for Distressed Communities in Columbus County, North Carolina

Table of Contents

Section 1. Introduction

Section 2. Columbus County Profile

Section 3. Summary of Proposed Municipal Projects

Section 4. Project Detail

4.1 Bolton 4.2 Chadbourn 4.3 International Logistics Park (Delco) 4.4 Fair Bluff 4.5 Tabor City 4.6 Whiteville 4.7 Lake Waccamaw

Section 5. Appendix

A. Acknowledgements

B. List of Funding Resources

C. Hurricane Matthew Resilient Redevelopment Plan (Columbus County) May 2017


Columbus County Economic Development Commission Section 1 – Introduction Page 1

Section 1. Introduction

Background The Columbus County EDC has an opportunity to create up to 300+ new jobs in Bolton, Chadbourn, Fair Bluff, Tabor City, Whiteville, Lake Waccamaw and Delco but buildings ready for occupancy are almost nonexistent.

Consideration

Two existing companies from outside North Carolina would like to locate and expand in Bolton and Chadbourn providing 45 jobs initially and 200 jobs longer term;

A commercial kitchen/produce processing and possible call center In Fair Bluff could provide 100-150 jobs. There are two options – Plan A to build a new 15,000 square foot building with high ceilings on donated land or renovate the 50,000 square-foot Umbro (shell) building.

A second business development center (incubator) is being planned in Tabor City since the first one has close to 100% occupancy.

Opportunities in Whiteville include a currently vacant building on S Madison Street and the potential for the establishment of a 10-barrel microbrewery in the downtown area.

The plan will also provide an economic evaluation of a 100,000-square foot shell building proposed by an industrial developer for the International Logistics Park near Delco, and,

An Economic Development Assessment, with community involvement, was developed for Lake Waccamaw to be used by the Town and others as opportunities present themselves.

In each community, there are buildings that need to be built, purchased or leased and upgraded and up-fitted to accommodate these business opportunities. The estimated cost to contract/purchase and upgrade buildings will cost $7-9 million dollars. A successful outcome would bring a potential 450+ jobs over several years to several distressed communities in Columbus County.

Summary

This plan will demonstrate an excellent job development opportunity for the rural municipalities within Columbus County by providing a strategic methodology to follow for job creation in rural communities. An implementation timetable will be provided along with potential sources of funding. Documentation will be provided to share with grantors, legislators and other potential funders/investors. We hope this plan will be used as a model for other rural counties.


Columbus County Economic Development Commission Section 2 – County Profile Page 1

Section 2. Columbus County Profile

General Columbus County is in southeastern North Carolina south of Fayetteville and west of Wilmington. It is comprised of ten municipalities, the most populous being Bolton, Chadbourn, Fair Bluff, Lake Waccamaw, Tabor City and Whiteville.

Population Columbus County has a 2016 population estimate of 57,015. Whiteville is the most populous municipality with 5,535.1

Source: US Census, American Community Survey

Age The median age in Columbus County is 42 years old, compared to the statewide median age of 38 years old.2

Race & Ethnicity Columbus County is mostly white, 62 percent and African American, 31 percent with other races making up the remaining 7 percent. In comparison, North Carolina is 71 percent white, 23 percent African American and other races equaling 6 percent. The Latino population in Columbus County is 5 percent compared to 9 percent for North Carolina.3

Poverty In Columbus County, 23 percent of the population is below the poverty level compared to 17 percent of North Carolina population.4

Median Household Income The median household income is $36,000 in Columbus County and $48,000 in North Carolina.5

Housing Profile Columbus County has 26,000 housing units, 61 percent of which are single-family homes; 7 percent multi-family units, and 32 percent manufactured housing.

In the county, 15 percent6 of housing units are vacant, while 14 percent are vacant statewide. Of the occupied housing units, 85 percent are owner-occupied compared to 65 percent in North Carolina; 31 percent are renter-occupied compared to 35 percent in North Carolina.7

1 Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year Estimates (2012-2016) 2 Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year Estimates (2012-2016) 3 Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year Estimates (2012-2016) 4 Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year Estimates (2012-2016) “Poverty Status in Past 12 Months” 5 Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year Estimates (2012-2016) “Median Household Income in the Past 12 Months” 6 There is some concern that the 15% vacancy may not be accurate due to damage sustained to many homes from flooding by Hurricane Matthew in October 2016. 7 Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year Estimates (2021-2016) “Occupancy Status”

Columbus County Population Trends 1990 2000 2010 2015* 2016* 2017* 49,587 54,749 57,972 56,686 56,335 55,936



Labor Force The labor force of the county’s population 16 years and over is 49 percent, compared to 57 percent in North Carolina.8 The Columbus County unemployment rate is 4.6 percent compared to the state rate of 4.4 percent.9

Economic Development The Columbus County Economic Development Commission is the lead economic development agency for Columbus County and its municipalities. They work to promote the county as an excellent place for business relocation and expansion. A partial list of their services includes:

• Providing detailed community information to prospective businesses • Responds to Requests for Information • Provides tours of the area to business interested in relocation or expansion • Assists existing industry with a variety of needs

Columbus Jobs Foundation, organized by a group of business and civic leaders in early 2015 to highlight the attributes that make Columbus County an ideal location for business and industry. The Columbus Jobs Foundation works with the county government to create local incentive packages for new business and industry. It has a revolving loan fund for start-ups. The group owns Southeast Regional Park, a 165-acre industrial park near Whiteville with water, sewer, gas, rail and high-speed Internet access. U.S. 74-76 and Southeastern Community College are adjacent to the park. Southeastern Community College, located between Chadbourn and Whiteville. They offer multiple business training opportunities for business and manufacturers/industry of all sizes through the NCWorks Customized Training Program, Small Business Center and more.10

Southeastern Economic Development Commission (SEDC) strives to create new jobs, retain existing jobs, and stimulate economic and industrial growth in southeastern North Carolina. SEDC assists its member county governments with project development necessary for the solicitation of grant funding from the Economic Development Administration (EDA).

North Carolina’s Southeast is a regional public-private partnership that markets the southeast region, nationally and globally to encourage new economic growth. Business and government leadership work together in this partnership to promote the region and its assets through The Southeastern Partnership, a 501c6 organization.

Transportation Columbus County is connected to the region by US 74 and US 701. US 74 is an east-west highway that provides Columbus County with access to Wilmington and deep-water ports to the east. US 701 is a north-south highway connecting the county with Myrtle Beach to the south. Columbus County is also served by rail from CSX which runs through the north of the county and provides access to Wilmington and Charlotte. A short-line rail, operated by R.J. Corman Company links the towns of Fair Bluff, Chadbourn, Whiteville, and Tabor City to the CSX main line in Mullens, South Carolina. In terms

8 Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year Estimates (2012-2016) “Employment Status for the Population 16 years and Over” 9 NC Civilian Labor Force Estimates, April 2018 10 Source: Columbus County Economic Development & Southeastern Community College



of air travel, the county is home to the Columbus County Airport; Fayetteville Regional Airport; Wilmington International and Myrtle Beach International Airport – all within 50 miles.11

Health Columbus Regional Healthcare is the only hospital in Columbus County. It is part of the Carolinas Healthcare System and is based in Whiteville.

Education Columbus County Public Schools administers nine elementary, five middle and five high schools. Additional schools include Whiteville City Schools, a charter school and a private Christian School. Southeastern Community College is located between Chadbourn and Whiteville and is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Water Columbus County Utilities administers a county-wide network to supply water to many of the rural areas of the county. Several municipalities, such as, Chadbourn, Whiteville, Tabor City, Fair Bluff and Lake Waccamaw have their own water systems and wastewater treatment facilities.

11 Source: Hurricane Matthew Resilient Redevelopment Plan 2017


Columbus County Economic Development Commission Section 3 – Municipal Project Descriptions Page 1

Section 3. Summary of Proposed Municipal Projects

Several rural communities located within Columbus County were evaluated for potential job creation projects. Each has at least one potential project that can create jobs. In each of these communities, there are buildings that need to be built, purchased or leased and upgraded and up-fitted to accommodate these business opportunities. Columbus County is also designated as HUB Zone (Historically Underutilized Business Zone) for certified businesses.

Following Hurricane Matthew, the Hurricane Matthew Resilient Redevelopment Plan-Columbus County was prepared by North Carolina Emergency Management. Most of the following projects were cited in the Plan: “Advancing these economic development projects could help offset some of the jobs lost as a result of Hurricane Matthew and could provide a much-needed economic boost to the County and municipalities.”1 The report also specified that “…Utility service needs to be extended and/or repairs need to be made…in order to foster economic development in the area and provide a consistent source of gas/water/sewer to this important facility/area. With these modifications, these sites would help offset losses from other areas within the County as a result of Hurricane Matthew.”2 Specific sites are noted in the project summaries below.

Here is a summary of the proposed projects in each municipality.

1. Bolton, North Carolina “Project Bling”– Small manufacturing company of high-end tech jewelry would like to relocate/expand to the family’s hometown of Bolton, NC. The products are currently manufactured in China but the quality is degrading. The owner currently lives in San Francisco but her retired grandmother will run the manufacturing operation in Bolton. There is no building inventory available in Bolton and new construction of a 5,000-6,000 square-foot incubator building might need to be considered. Company would bring 15 jobs initially with up to 50 jobs long term to Columbus County. Land purchase for the building was cited in the Resilient Redevelopment Plan.

2. Chadbourn, North Carolina “Project Medical” is a medical records coding business operating out of state that would be an expansion. Owner is from Chadbourn. No available inventory but there are possibilities among several vacant properties that are currently owned privately and by the Town of Chadbourn (which would require up-fit). Company would bring 35 jobs to Columbus County initially and up to 150 long term. Repairs for a building to be used as a Chadbourn business incubator was cited in the Resilient Redevelopment Plan.

3. Delco, North Carolina A 100,000 square foot shell building proposed by an industrial developer for the International Logistics Park near Delco. The building is expected to cost $4,000,000. The project would bring approximately 25 jobs initially and 50 jobs over a longer period. Truck driver positions would start at $16.00 per hour and fork lift operators $12-14 per hour. This is a joint project with Brunswick County. The Park is also a designated Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ-214) and is within a

1 Hurricane Matthew Resilient Redevelopment Plan-Columbus County, NC Emergency Management, May 2017- Page 4-8 2 Hurricane Matthew Resilient Redevelopment Plan-Columbus County, NC Emergency Management, May 2017- Page 4-9


Columbus County Economic Development Commission Section 3 – Municipal Project Descriptions Page 2

Qualified Opportunity Zone shared with Brunswick County. The ILP was cited in the Resilient Redevelopment Plan.

4. Fair Bluff, North Carolina Commercial Kitchen/Produce Processing & possible Call Center – Local growers have asked for a commercial kitchen and produce processing center to be able to sell to grocery store chains and others. One grower is producing 30,000 pounds of tomatoes quarterly in a controlled growing environment. Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification would be sought by growers. If building was divided and used as a combined produce processing plant and as a call center location, this could provide 100 to 150 jobs in Columbus County.

a. Option A: New 15,000 square-foot incubator building on donated property closer to downtown.

b. Option B: Renovate a 50,000-square-foot shell building would be donated to County or Columbus Jobs Foundation (501c3). The former Umbro building needs a new roof, HVAC Systems, lighting, etc. and re-paved parking lot. Other attributes are available. This project was cited in the Resilient Redevelopment Plan.

5. Tabor City, North Carolina

A second business development center (incubator) is being planned in Tabor City since the first one is close to 100% occupancy.

6. Whiteville, North Carolina Opportunities in Whiteville include the establishment of a microbrewery in the downtown area. A potential location is a building in the 600 block of S. Madison Street next to an existing restaurant. A micro-brewery could employ 10-15 employees initially and bring a destination business to the downtown area. This project was cited in the Resilient Redevelopment Plan.

7. Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina An economic development assessment was conducted, with community involvement, to provide guidance on future growth and development opportunities.


Columbus County Economic Development Commission Section 4 – Project Detail Page 1

Section 4. Project Detail Contents

The following sections will detail the projects in each municipality, with the exception of Lake Waccamaw to include:

• Project Description • Potential Job Creation • Community Snapshot • Labor Market Snapshot

o Employment Status o Educational Attainment o Places Where Residents Go to Work

• Primary Trade Area o Map (5-mile radius) o Retail Market Snapshot

Retail Leakage/Surplus • Economic Impact of Project

o Impact Overview o Project Summary & Impacts o Detailed Impact Analysis (IMPLAN)

Estimated Construction/Renovation Impact • Employment, Financial, Construction

Estimated Operations Impact • Employment, Financial, Operations (short term & long term)

• Local Tax Revenue Impact (projected) • Wages Impact (projected) • Action Plan/Timeline (general)

4.1 Bolton 4.2 Chadbourn 4.3 International Logistics Park (Delco) 4.4 Fair Bluff 4.5 Tabor City 4.6 Whiteville 4.7 Lake Waccamaw – Economic Development Assessment


Columbus County Economic Development Commission Section 4.1-Bolton Page 1

Project #1: “Project Bling” - Bolton NC

Description “Project Bling”– A small manufacturing company of high-end tech jewelry would like to relocate/expand to the family’s hometown of Bolton, NC. The products are currently manufactured in China, but the quality is degrading. The owner currently lives in San Francisco but her retired grandmother will run the manufacturing operation in Bolton. Company would bring 15 jobs initially with up to 50 jobs long term to Columbus County. Land purchase for the building was cited in the Resilient Redevelopment Plan. Although there is no building inventory in Bolton, there is a 13-acre, Town-owned parcel available (see photos above) for construction of a new 5,000-6,000 square-foot incubator building. The building will be designed to handle several small business startup tenants. “Project Bling” will be one of those tenants. US 74/76 and NC 214 are each just over ¼-mile from the parcel. Potential Job Creation Project would provide 15 jobs initially with up to 50 jobs long term.



Community Snapshot

The figures in Table 1 show the summary demographics of the 5-mile Primary Trade Area (PTA) that extends beyond the corporate limits of Bolton.

Labor Market Snapshot

The Employment Status in Table 2 estimates the number of people available for work. The Labor Force Participation estimate refers to the number of people available for work as a percentage of the total population.

1 ESRI Business Online Analyst, Demographics 2 US Census, 2012-2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

Table 1: Summary Demographics and Retail Leakage for 1 Mile Radius of Bolton1 1 Mile Radius Columbus County North Carolina United States Population 574 58,098 10,273,419 xx 2017 Households 226 22,489 4,031,256 xx 2017 Median Household Income $35,000 $35,796 $48,918 $56,124 2017 Average Household Income $55,472 $49,395 $69,520 $80,675 2017 Per Capita Income $21,029 $19,989 $26,779 $31,128 2017 Median Disposable Income $30,889 $30,630 $40,095 $46,430

Table 2: Employment Status (2016)2

Subject

Total Estimate

Labor Force Participation Estimate

Population 16 years & over 611 57.1% AGE 16 to 19 years 30 10.0% 20 to 24 years 66 54.5% 25 to 29 years 75 70.7% 30 to 34 years 81 56.8% 35 to 44 years 88 93.2% 45 to 54 years 84 81.0% 55 to 59 years 45 68.9% 60 to 64 years 59 30.5% 65 to 74 years 47 25.5% 75 years and over 36 00.0%



The Educational Attainment estimate in Table 3 refers to levels of education attained by the number of people available for work as a percentage of Bolton’s population ages 25 years and over in 2016.

Table 3: Educational Attainment (Bolton) (2016)3

Total Population Estimate

% of Population

Bolton Population 25 years and over 515 (X) Less than 9th grade 14 2.7% 9th to 12th grade, no diploma 67 13.0% High school graduate (includes equivalency) 180 35.0% Some college, no degree 168 32.6% Associate's degree 52 10.1% Bachelor's degree 32 6.2% Graduate or professional degree 2 0.4%

Table 4 shows the primary job location (in 2015) to where Bolton residents commute. The table is based on 240 primary jobs.

3 US Census, 2012-2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates 4 US Census On the Map (www.onthemap.ces.census.gov)

Table 4: Places Where Bolton Residents Work (2015)4 Primary Employment Place Job Share Wilmington 11.7% Whiteville 10.4% Riegelwood 8.8% Lake Waccamaw 4.2% Fayetteville 3.3% Raleigh 2.9% Charlotte 2.5% Greensboro 2.5% Tabor City 1.7% Myrtle Beach 1.7% All Other Locations 50.4%

http://www.onthemap.ces.census.gov/



Primary Trade Area

The red circle in Map 1 (below) shows Bolton’s 1-mile Primary Trade Area (PTA) which extends beyond Bolton’s corporate limits.

Map 1: 1-Mile Radius of Bolton



Retail Market Snapshot

The data in Table 5 shows the Retail Leakage from the Primary Trade Area of Bolton. This information is provided to show potential business and job opportunities in Bolton.

In a 1-mile radius of Bolton, there was retail leakage in all categories, with Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers ($1,447,914) leading the way. Leakage in this category is common in small towns, as most large automobile dealerships are located in larger, urban areas. General Merchandise Stores ($918,003) and Gasoline Stations ($714,892) were next. The Total Retail Trade and Food and Drink leakage was $6,102,854.

Retail Leakage indicates an unmet demand in the trade area. This suggests the possibility the community can support additional retail for that business type. Residents within the primary trade area are purchasing products outside of the trade area indicating opportunity to capture these dollars. (Leakage is shown as a positive value in green when reviewing the actual ESRI data.)

Retail Surplus means the community’s trade area is capturing the local market plus attracting non-local shoppers. Surplus doesn’t necessarily imply that the community can’t support additional businesses, but rather the community has possibly developed strong clusters of retail including eating and drinking establishments that have broad geographical appeal. (Surplus is shown as a negative value in red when reviewing the ESRI data.)

5 ESRI Business Online Analyst (www.esri.com)

Table 5: Summary Retail Leakage - 1 Mile Radius of Bolton5

Industry Group Demand Supply Leakage Motor Vehicle & Parts Dealers $1,447,914 $0 $1,447,914 General Merchandise Stores $918,003 $0 $918,003 Gasoline Stations $714,892 $0 $714,892 Food & Beverage Stores $1,030,657 $423,450 $607,207 Bldg. Materials, Garden Equip. & Supply Stores $463,765 $0 $463,765 Food Services & Drinking Places $525,878 $75,353 $450,525 Health & Personal Care Stores $401,854 $0 $401,854 Miscellaneous Store Retailers $296,483 $0 $296,483 Clothing & Clothing Accessories Stores $224,583 $0 $224,583 Furniture & Home Furnishings Stores $189,990 $0 $189,990 Electronics & Appliance Stores $145,081 $0 $145,081 Sporting Goods, Hobby, Book & Music Stores $137,467 $0 $137,467 Non-store Retailers $105,090 $0 $105,090 Total Retail Trade and Food & Drink $6,601,657 $498,803 $6,102,854

http://www.esri.com/



Economic Impact of Project Bling

This report estimates the economic contributions and impacts of Project Bling, a high-end tech jewelry manufacturer that proposes to relocate and expand to the family’s hometown of Bolton, North Carolina. The relocation will create an initial 15 jobs and expansion would create up to 50 jobs.

The purpose of this report is to provide information related to the potential economic impact of industry activities. Results are estimates and are derived from inputs provided by the involved companies and in some cases based on forecast.

The following tables summarizes the data and assumptions used in developing the economic impact model for this project. All tables and figures have been generated by NC Department of Commerce LEAD (Labor & Economic Analysis). NC Commerce LEAD uses IMPLAN6 software for economic impact modeling. The IMPLAN model is widely used by local, state, and federal government agencies as well as private industry and universities.

Project Bling Overview

Proposed Project Location Bolton, NC (Columbus County) IMPLAN Sector (Construction) IMPLAN Sector 58 – Construction of other new

nonresidential structures IMPLAN Sector (Operations) IMPLAN Sector 384- Jewelry and silverware

manufacturing Total Employment (Initial) 15 Total Employment (Expansion) 50 Investment in New Construction $940,156

Summary of Project Bling and its Impacts

• Project Bling is a project considering Bolton, NC in Columbus County for a new high-end tech jewelry manufacturing facility that will employ 15 people initially and up to 50 longer term.

• A new building will be constructed at a cost of $940,000. • The construction of the building will support an additional 9 jobs in Bolton and county during the

construction phase. • The construction will generate an additional $501,185 in Bolton and the county’s economy. • The initial 15 new jobs created by Project Bling would cause another 7 jobs to be created in

Bolton/Columbus County for a total employment impact of 22 new jobs in the short term. • The expansion of up to 50 employees would cause an additional 24 jobs to be created in

Bolton/Columbus County for a total employment impact of 75 jobs in the long term. • Project Bling’s operations would increase total output in Bolton/Columbus County by $11 million. • Based on the Town of Bolton’s FY19 tax rate of $0.60 per $100 property valuation, the local

taxes would generate an additional $5,600 each year. Columbus County’s FY19 tax rate of $0.805 per $100 valuation would generate an additional $7,500 in county taxes each year.

• The annual payroll of Project Bling is projected to $1,248,000 at full employment. • These wages are likely to create retail sales of $1.1 million dollars each year.

6 IMPLAN Group, Inc. was founded in 1993 by Scott Lindall and Doug Olson as an outgrowth of their work at the University of Minnesota starting in 1984. This developmental work closely involved the U.S. Forest Service's Land Management Planning Unit in Fort Collins, and Dr. Wilbur Maki at the University of Minnesota. For more information please visit www.IMPLAN.com.

http://www.implan.com/scott.html

http://www.implan.com/doug.html

http://www.implan.com/



Detailed Impact Analysis

KEY ECONOMIC IMPACT DEFINITIONS

Direct Impacts: The known or predicted change in the economy that is being studied. In this analysis the direct impacts are the changes associated with the project site.

Indirect Impact: Secondary impact caused to industries in the supply chain of the direct impact. In this case, indirect impacts would result from industries supplying resources and materials.

Induced Impact: Direct and indirect employment (and increases in labor income) creates additional household spending on goods and services.

Employment: The number of full-time and part-time jobs; measured by place of employment. Employees, sole proprietors, and active partners are included, but unpaid family workers and volunteers are not.

Value Added: is a measure of the contribution of each private industry and of government to a region's Gross Domestic Product. It is defined as an industry's gross output (which consists of sales or receipts and other operating income, commodity taxes, and inventory change) minus its intermediate inputs (which consist of energy, raw materials, semi-finished goods, and services that are purchased from domestic industries or from foreign sources).

Output: is the amount of production, including all intermediate goods purchased as well as value added (compensation and profit).

Job-Years: IMPLAN measures employment impacts in job-years with each unit of employment equivalent to one job for one year. This is important when IMPLAN is used to measure construction or other non-permanent operations. For example, IMPLAN does not distinguish between ten units of employment (workers) employed over five years, and fifty workers employed in one year. Therefore, one construction worker may account for multiple units of employment if that person is employed over multiple years.

Estimated Construction Impact

Construction Impact: Employment

In Bolton, approximately 9 jobs will result from construction and up-fit of the new facility. The jobs attributed to this new construction activity are temporary and only for the duration of construction project. Once construction is completed these jobs will no longer be available.

Construction Impact: Financial

Construction of this new facility will add $501,185 to the local gross domestic product (GDP) of Bolton and Columbus County and increased output of $1.2 million.

Construction Impact: Bolton/Columbus County

Impact Type Employment Labor

Income Value Added Output

Direct Effect 9.5 $286,880 $356,084 $940,156

Indirect Effect 1.3 $38,800 $66,248 $145,254

Induced Effect 1.4 $37,162 $78,853 $147,740

Total Effect 12.1 $362,841 $501,185 $1,233,150



Estimated Operations Impact

Operations Impact (Short Term): Employment

In Bolton, approximately 22 jobs will result from the initial operations of the company with approximately 15 needed for facility operations. The jobs associated with this project are permanent and continuous jobs, with an annual impact.

Operations Impact (Short Term): Financial

Operations of this new facility are estimated to add $1.2M to the local gross domestic product (GDP) of Bolton/Columbus County and increase output by $3.3 million.

Operations Impact (Short term): Bolton/Columbus County



Direct Effect 15 $1,257,171 $831,354 $2,519,254

Indirect Effect 2 $58,088 $102,338 $236,418

Induced Effect 5.6 $150,793 $320,626 $600,455

Total Effect 22.6 $1,466,052 $1,254,318 $3,356,127

Operations Impact (Long Term): Employment

Once the company begins to expand, an estimated 75 jobs are expected to result with approximately 50 needed for facility operations. The jobs associated with this project are permanent and continuous jobs, with an annual impact.

Operations Impact (Long Term): Financial

Operations of this new facility are estimated to add $4.1 million to the local gross domestic product (GDP) in Bolton/Columbus County and increase output by $11.1 million.

Operations Impact (long term): Bolton/Columbus County



Direct Effect 50 $4,190,570 $2,771,179 $8,397,512

Indirect Effect 6.6 $191,296 $337,285 $778,927

Induced Effect 18.6 $502,380 $1,068,191 $2,000,466

Total Effect 75.2 $4,884,246 $4,176,655 $11,176,905



Local Tax Revenue

Bolton’s local property tax rate is $.60 per $100 valuation for FY2019. The proposed building construction is $940,156 and will yield approximately $5,641 in new taxes for the Town of Bolton. Columbus County’s property tax rate is $.805 per $100 valuation and would generate approximately $7,568 in new annual taxes for the County.

New Construction

Value

FY2019 Bolton Tax

Rate

Annual New

Property Tax for Bolton

FY2019 Columbus

County Tax Rate

Annual New Property Tax for Columbus

County

$940, 156 $.60/100 $5,641 $.805/100 $7,568

Wages

Project Bling is expected to create an initial 15 jobs in product manufacturing with most paying in the range of $12.00 per hour, or $480 per week. The total estimated annual payroll from the beginning phase of the new project is expected to be about $374,400. With an expected expansion of up to 50 jobs, the estimated annual payroll would be $1,248,000.

Retail Sales

The average household in Bolton spends approximately $22,854 in retail goods, food and drink.7 With 15 new paychecks added to the local economy, retail sales could increase by as much as $350,250 each year. Once the company expands to include up to 50 employees, retail sales could increase to $1,167,500 each year.

7 ESRI 2015 & 2016 Consumer Expenditure Surveys, Bureau of Labor Statistics



Action Plan/Timeline

This timeline is intended only to provide a general framework for time and actions from the beginning of the project to its fruition. There are many more steps, details and actions to take by those involved in the project to make this a success.

A listing of resources and contacts may be found in the Appendix.

Objective Action Time-Frame

1. Control Property Determine ownership/management entity Month 1

Identify property parcel, purchase/option costs Month 1

2. Construction & Design Needs & Costs Select architect, general contractor Month 2

Determine infrastructure needs, Construction costs Month 2

Zoning and other permitting from Town & County Month 2

3. Funding Sources (potential) Determine Investments/Grants Local: - Project Bling ownership - Town of Bolton - Columbus County Regional/Federal: -US EDA -SEDC -USEDA Incubator Grant State of NC: - Economic Development Partnership of NC (EDPNC) - NC Department of Commerce - Public Infrastructure programs • Community Development Block Grant Economic Dev • Utility Account / Rural Division Economic Infrastructure - Customized training at Southeast Community College - NC Division of Environmental Quality (water infrastructure) [Note: Successful funding approvals determine timing of work start]

Month 2

4. Site Work & Construction Begin/complete renovation, up-fit and site work Month 4 - 10

5. Project Bling Opens Move-in and operations begins Month 13-14

6. Grand Opening Month 15


Columbus County Economic Development Commission Section 4.2-Chadbourn Page 1

Project #2: “Project Medical” - Chadbourn NC

Potential site for multi-tenant incubator “Project Medical” in Chadbourn NC

Description “Project Medical” is a medical records coding business headquartered in another state but is proposing to expand into Chadbourn. The company owner is from Chadbourn. “Project Medical” would bring 35 jobs to Columbus County initially and up to 150 jobs long term. Although there are no move-in ready buildings in Chadbourn, there are several that could be renovated. Specifically, a 6,000 square foot former grocery store building could be renovated for a multi-tenant incubator. The renovation would be designed to house “Project Medical” and several other small business startup tenants. Repairs for a building to be used as a Chadbourn business incubator was cited in the Resilient Redevelopment Plan. Potential Job Creation “Project Medical” would provide 35 jobs initially with up to 150 jobs long term.



Community Snapshot

The figures in Table 1 show the summary demographics of the 5-mile Primary Trade Area (PTA) that extends beyond the corporate limits of Chadbourn.


The Employment Status in Table 2 estimates the number of people in Chadbourn available for work. The Labor Force Participation estimate refers to the number of people available for work as a percentage of Chadbourn’s total population.

1 Quick Facts, NC (www.census.gov/quickfacts) 2 US Census, 2012-2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

Table 1: Summary Demographics - 5 Mile Radius of Chadbourn1

5 Mile Radius Columbus County North Carolina United States Population 7,266 58,098 10,273,419 xx 2017 Households 2,978 22,489 4,031,256 xx 2017 Median Household Income $35,495 $35,796 $48,918 $56,124 2017 Average Household Income $47,614 $49,395 $69,520 $80,675 2017 Per Capita Income $19,811 $19,989 $26,779 $31,128 2017 Median Disposable Income $30,235 $30,630 $40,095 $46,430

Table 2: Employment Status (Chadbourn) (2016)2

Subject

Total Estimate


Population 16 years & over 1,495 47.3% AGE

16 to 19 years 47 44.7% 20 to 24 years 270 61.5% 25 to 29 years 58 46.6% 30 to 34 years 33 36.4% 35 to 44 years 181 79.0% 45 to 54 years 287 73.2% 55 to 59 years 197 34.0% 60 to 64 years 80 33.8% 65 to 74 years 219 12.8%

75 years and over 123 4.9%

http://www.census.gov/quickfacts



The Educational Attainment estimate in Table 3 refers to levels of education attained by the number of people available for work as a percentage of Chadbourn’s total population.

Table 3: Educational Attainment (Chadbourn) (2016)3


% of Population

Chadbourn Population 25 years and over 1,178 (X) Less than 9th grade 90 7.60% 9th to 12th grade, no diploma 183 15.50% High school graduate (includes equivalency) 344 29.20% Some college, no degree 262 22.20% Associate's degree 183 15.50% Bachelor's degree 86 7.30% Graduate or professional degree 30 2.50%

Table 4 shows the primary job location (in 2015) to where Chadbourn residents commute. The table is based on 617 primary jobs.


Table 4: Places Where Chadbourn Residents Work (2015)4 Primary Employment Place Job Share Whiteville 24.3% Chadbourn 4.4.% Wilmington 3.4% Fayetteville 3.2% Charlotte 2.9% Clinton 2.6% Lumberton 2.6% Raleigh 2.6% Myrtle Beach 2.6% Elizabethtown 1.5% All Other Locations 49.9%




The red circle in Map 1 (below) shows Chadbourn’s Primary Trade Area (PTA) which extends beyond its corporate limits.

Map 1: 5-Mile Radius of Chadbourn




The data in Table 5 shows the Retail Leakage from the Primary Trade Area of Chadbourn. This information is provided to show potential business and job opportunities in Chadbourn.

In a 5-mile radius of Chadbourn, there was retail leakage in almost all categories, with Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers ($10,726,529) leading the way. Leakage in this category is common in small towns, as most large automobile dealerships are in larger, urban areas. Furniture and Home Furnishings Stores ($6,048,862) and Building Materials, Garden Equipment and Supply Stores ($3,762,344) were next. The Total Retail Trade and Food and Drink leakage was $18,221,071.




Industry Group Demand Supply Leakage Motor Vehicle & Parts Dealers $16,595,455

$5,868,926

$10,726,529

Furniture & Home Furnishings Stores $11,033,406

$4,984,544

$6,048,862 Electronics & Appliance Stores

$6,529,450

$2,767,106

$3,762,344

Bldg. Materials, Garden Equip. & Supply Stores

$6,091,927

$2,701,833

$3,390,094 Food & Beverage Stores

$2,810,894

$0

$2,810,894

Health & Personal Care Stores

$8,233,684

$6,572,352

$1,661,332 Gasoline Stations

$1,809,010

$219,510

$1,589,500

Clothing & Clothing Accessories Stores

$1,676,743

$223,479

$1,453,264 Sporting Goods, Hobby, Book & Music Stores

$2,369,229

$989,978

$1,379,251

General Merchandise Stores

$1,229,789

$0

$1,229,789 Miscellaneous Store Retailers

$12,199,533

$11,627,647

$571,886

Non-store Retailers $3,376,886

$2,971,279

$405,607 Food Services & Drinking Places $4,683,272

$8,944,129

-$4,260,857

Restaurants/Other Eating Places $5,328,491

$14,431,464

-$9,102,973

Total Retail Trade and Food & Drink $77,875,842

$59,654,771

$18,221,071

Table 5: Summary Retail Leakage - 5 Mile Radius of Chadbourn5




Economic Impact of Project Medical

This report estimates the economic contributions and impacts of Project Medical, a medical records coding business headquartered in another state but is proposing to expand into Chadbourn, North Carolina. The company owner is from Chadbourn. An existing building will be repaired and up-fitted. The relocation will create an initial 35 jobs and expansion would create up to 150 jobs.



Project Medical Overview

Proposed Project Location Chadbourn, NC (Columbus County) IMPLAN Sector (Construction) IMPLAN Sector 62 – Maintenance and repair

construction of nonresidential buildings IMPLAN Sector (Operations) IMPLAN Sector 448- Accounting, tax preparation,

booking, and payroll services Total Employment (Initial) 35 Total Employment (Expansion) 150 Investment in Facility Up-fits $480,000

Summary of Project Medical and its Impacts

• Project Medical is an out-of-state medical records company considering expansion into Chadbourn, NC in Columbus County that will employ 35 people initially and up to 150 longer term.

• An existing building will be renovated and up-fit for multiple tenants at a cost of $480,000. • The renovation and up-fit of the building will support an additional 4 jobs in Chadbourn and Columbus County

during the construction phase. • The construction will generate an additional $36,278 in Chadbourn and the county’s economy. • The initial 35 new jobs created by Project Medical would cause another 10 jobs to be created in

Chadbourn/Columbus County for a total employment impact of 45 new jobs in the short term. • The expansion of up to 150 employees would cause an additional 43 jobs to be created in Chadbourn/Columbus

County for a total employment impact of 193 jobs in the long term. • Project Medical’s operations, at full employment, would increase the local gross domestic product (GDP) to $10

million and total output in Chadbourn/Columbus County by $15 million. • Based on the Town of Chadbourn’s FY19 tax rate of $0.62 per $100 property valuation, the local taxes would

generate an additional $2,976 each year. Columbus County’s FY19 tax rate of $0.805 per $100 valuation would generate an additional $3,864 in county taxes each year.

• The annual payroll of Project Medical is projected to generate $2,377,500 at full employment. • These wages are likely to create retail sales of $6.8 million dollars each year.

















Construction Impact: Employment

In Chadbourn, approximately 4 jobs will result from construction and up-fit of the new facility. The jobs attributed to this new construction activity are temporary and only for the duration of construction project. Once construction is completed these jobs will no longer be available.

Construction Impact: Financial

The renovation and up-fit of this facility will add $233,735 to the local gross domestic product (GDP) of Chadbourn and Columbus County and increased output of $640,922 million.

Construction Impact: Chadbourn/Columbus County

Impact Type Employment Labor Income Value Added Output

Direct Effect 4.2 $124,125 $154,088 $488,000

Indirect Effect 0.9 $25,470 $43,369 $92,959

Induced Effect 0.6 $17,089 $36,278 $640,922

Total Effect 5.8 $166,684 $233,735 $640,922 Estimated Operations Impact




In Chadbourn, approximately 45 jobs will result from the initial operations of the company with approximately 35 needed for facility operations. The jobs associated with this project are permanent and continuous jobs, with an annual impact.

Operations Impact (Short Term): Financial

Operations of this new facility are estimated to add $2.5M to the local gross domestic product (GDP) of Chadbourn/Columbus County and increase output by $3.7 million.

Operations Impact (Short term): Chadbourn/Columbus County


Direct Effect 35 $1,443,038 $1,975,897 $2,695,233

Indirect Effect 3.7 $93,672 $160,460 $320,373

Induced Effect 6.5 $174,737 $370,213 $693,868

Total Effect 45.1 $1,711,448 $2,506,571 $3,709,475


Once the company fully expands, an estimated 193 jobs are expected to result with approximately 150 needed for facility operations. The jobs associated with this project are permanent and continuous jobs, with an annual impact.

Operations Impact (Long Term): Financial

Operations of this new facility are estimated to add $10.7 million to the local gross domestic product (GDP) in Chadbourn/Columbus County and increase output by $15.8 million.

Operations Impact (long term): Chadbourn/Columbus County


Direct Effect 150 $6,184,451 $8,468,132 $11,551,001

Indirect Effect 15.7 $401,453 $687,686 $1,373,028

Induced Effect 27.7 $748,874 $1,586,629 $2,973,721

Total Effect 193.3 $7,334,777 $10,742,447 $15,897,749



Local Tax Revenue

Chadbourn’s local property tax rate is $.62 per $100 valuation for FY2019. The proposed building renovation and up-fit is $480,000 and will yield approximately $2,976 in new taxes for the Town of Chadbourn. Columbus County’s property tax rate is $.805 per $100 valuation and would generate approximately $3,864 in new annual taxes for the County.

New Construction

Value

FY2019 Chadbourn

Tax Rate

Annual New Property Tax for

Chadbourn

FY2019 Columbus

County Tax Rate

Annual New Property Tax for Columbus

County

$480,000 $.62/100 $2,976 $.805/100 $3,864

Wages

Project Medical is expected to create an initial 35 jobs in medical records coding with most paying in the range of $22.007 per hour, or $880 per week. The total estimated annual payroll from the beginning phase of the new project is expected to be about $1.6 million. With an expected expansion of up to 150 jobs, the estimated annual payroll would be $6.8 million.

Retail Sales

The average household in Chadbourn spends approximately $15,850 in retail goods, food and drink.8 With 35 new paychecks added to the local economy, retail sales could increase by as much as $554,750 each year. Once the company expands to include up to 50 employees, retail sales could increase to $2,377,500 each year.

7 Salary.com Medical Records Coding Technicians Wilmington NC June 29, 2018 8 US Census & ESRI Market Profile 5-mile radius







1. Control Property Determine ownership/management entity Month 1

Identify property parcel, purchase/option costs Month 1

2. Renovation/Up-fit Design Needs & Costs Select architect, general contractor Month 2

Determine infrastructure needs, renovation/up-fit costs Month 2

Zoning and other permitting from Town & County Month 2

3. Funding Sources (potential) Determine Investments/Grants Local: - Project Medical ownership - Town of Chadbourn - Columbus County Federal: - Economic Development Administration (EDA)

Regional: - Southeastern Economic Development Commission (SEDC) State of NC: - Economic Development Partnership of NC (EDPNC) • One North Carolina Fund (One NC) - Building Reuse Programs • Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Building Reuse Program • NC Commerce Rural Division Building Reuse Program - Customized training at Southeast Community College [Note: Successful funding approvals will likely determine timing of work start]

Month 2

4. Renovation and site work Begin/complete renovation, up-fit and site work Month 4 - 8

5. Project Medical Opens Move-in and work begins Month 9-11



Columbus County Economic Development Commission Section 4.3-International Logistics Park Page 1

Project #3: International Logistics Park of North Carolina (Delco area)

Description A 100,000 square foot manufacturing/distribution shell building is being proposed by an industrial developer for the International Logistics Park near Delco, which is located a short distance from the NC Port at Wilmington. The building is expected to cost $4,000,000. The project would bring approximately 25 jobs initially and 50 jobs over a longer period. Truck driver positions would start at $16.00 per hour and fork lift operators $12-14 per hour. The International Logistics Park is a joint project with Brunswick County. In 2018, the North Carolina Department of Commerce provided a $2.15 million Infrastructure Grant to provide the final phase of the waste treatment system for the park. The Park is also a designated Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ-214) and is within a Qualified Opportunity Zone shared with Brunswick County. The ILP was cited in the Resilient Redevelopment Plan. Some highlights of the ILP:

- 1,029-acre joint county industrial site on the Columbus/Brunswick county border outside Wilmington NC - Site is zoned I-G (Industrial General) which is intended to provide locations for enterprises engaged in a broad range of

manufacturing, processing, creating, repairing, renovation, painting, cleaning, or assembly of goods, merchandise or equipment

- Designated as a North Carolina Certified Site in December 2012, which reduces the risks associated with development by undergoing a rigorous pre-qualification process addressing prerequisites such as environmental audits, geo-technical studies, engineered site development plans and development cost analysis.

For more detailed information please visit http://www.columbusedc.com/available-property/international-logistics-park Potential Job Creation Project would create an initial 25 jobs, with 50 jobs long term.

http://www.columbusedc.com/available-property/international-logistics-park



Community Snapshot

The figures in Table 1 show the summary demographics of the 5-mile Primary Trade Area (PTA) that includes and extends beyond the corporate limits of Delco.


The Employment Status in Table 2 estimates the number of people in Delco available for work. The Labor Force Participation estimate refers to the number of people available for work as a percentage of Delco’s total population.


Table 1: Summary Demographics - 5 Mile Radius of Delco1

5 Mile Radius Columbus County North Carolina United States

Population 4,706 58,098 xx xx

2017 Households 1,856 22,489 xx xx 2017 Median Household Income $35,495 $35,796 $48,918 $56,124 2017 Average Household Income $47,614 $49,395 $69,520 $80,675 2017 Per Capita Income $21,126 $19,989 $26,779 $31,128 2017 Median Disposable Income $36,982 $30,630 $40,095 $46,430

Table 2: Employment Status (Delco) (2016)2

Subject

Total Estimate


Population 16 years & over 276 40.9% AGE

16 to 19 years 18 0% 20 to 24 years 20 45.0% 25 to 29 years 0 xx 30 to 34 years 0 xx 35 to 44 years 14 100% 45 to 54 years 89 58.4% 55 to 59 years 12 58.3% 60 to 64 years 24 16.7% 65 to 74 years 51 35.3%





The Educational Attainment estimate in Table 3 refers to levels of education attained by the number of people available for work as a percentage of Delco’s total population.

Table 3: Educational Attainment (Delco) (2016)3


% of Population

Delco Population 25 years and over 238 (X) Less than 9th grade 69 29.0% 9th to 12th grade, no diploma 28 11.8% High school graduate (includes equivalency) 77 32.4% Some college, no degree 37 15.5% Associate's degree 18 7.6% Bachelor's degree 9 3.8% Graduate or professional degree 0 0%

Table 4 shows the primary job location (in 2015) to where Delco residents commute. The table is based on 1,840 primary jobs.


Table 4: Places Where Delco Residents Work (2015)4 Primary Employment Place Job Share Wilmington 16.7% Riegelwood 15.3% Leland 4.9% Whiteville 4.9% Charlotte 2.8% Raleigh 2.8% Belville 2.1% Fayetteville 2.1% Jacksonville 2.1% Wallace 2.1% All other locations 44.4%




Primary Trade Area

The red circle in Map 1 (below) shows Delco’s Primary Trade Area (PTA) which extends beyond its corporate limits and into the Logistical Park area.

Map 1: 5-Mile Radius of Delco




The data in Table 5 shows the Retail Leakage from the Primary Trade Area of Delco. This information is provided to show potential business and job opportunities in Delco. In a 5-mile radius of Delco, there was retail leakage in almost all categories, with Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers ($7,699,44) leading the way. Leakage in this category is common in small towns, as most large automobile dealerships are in larger, urban areas. Food and Beverage Stores ($7,406,343) and General Merchandise Stores ($5,683,343) were next. The Total Retail Trade and Food and Drink leakage was $18,221,071.




Table 5: Summary Retail Leakage - 5 Mile Radius of Delco5

Industry Group Demand Supply Leakage Motor Vehicle & Parts Dealers

$11,246,536

$3,546,892

$7,699,644

Food & Beverage Stores

$8,360,137

$953,794

$7,406,343

General Merchandise Stores

$7,731,953

$2,048,843

$5,683,110

Building Materials, Garden Equip. & Supply Stores

$3,707,559

$0

$3,707,559 Food Services & Drinking Places

$4,702,255

$2,572,338

$2,129,917 Miscellaneous Store Retailers

$2,252,354

$141,041

$2,111,313 Restaurants/Other Eating Places

$4,376,880

$2,572,338

$1,804,542

Furniture & Home Furnishings Stores

$1,707,447

$0

$1,707,447 Clothing & Clothing Accessories Stores

$2,045,269

$436,305

$1,608,964 Electronics & Appliance Stores

$1,285,230

$0

$1,285,230

Sporting Goods, Hobby, Book & Music Stores

$1,186,927

$309,813

$877,114

Non-store Retailers

$823,550

$0

$823,550 Health & Personal Care Stores

$3,180,381

$2,617,958

$562,423 Gasoline Stations

$5,596,695

$28,443,207

-$22,846,512


$41,228,619

$12,597,675




Economic Impact of 100,000 SF Industrial Shell Building

This report estimates the economic contributions and impacts of a 100,000-square foot industrial shell building in the International Logistics Park near Delco. The building is being proposed by an industrial developer for jobs related to warehousing and storage. 25 jobs are anticipated initially with 50 at full term.

The purpose of this report is to provide information related to the potential economic impact of industry activities. Results are estimates and are derived from inputs provided by the involved companies or economic developers and in some cases based on forecast.


100,000 SF Industrial Shell Building

Proposed Project Location International Logistics Park, Delco NC (Columbus County) IMPLAN Sector (Construction Renovation) Temporary

IMPLAN Sector 58 – Construction of other new residential structures

IMPLAN Sector (Operations) IMPLAN Sector 416- Warehousing and Storage Total Employment (Initial) 25 Investment in Facility Up-fits $4,000,000

Summary of 100,000 SF Industrial Shell Building and its Impacts

• A 100,000 square foot shell building will be constructed to support a storage and warehousing business • The construction of the building will support an additional 40 temporary jobs in Delco area and Columbus

County during the construction phase. • The construction will generate an additional $2.1 million in the Delco and Columbus County economy. • The 25 new jobs created by the storage and warehousing business would cause another7 jobs to be created in

Delco/Columbus County area for a total employment impact of 32 new jobs. • The storage and warehousing business would increase the short-term local gross domestic product (GDP) to

approximately $1 million and total output in Delco/Columbus County area by $2.4 million. At full employment, the business would generate a local GDP of approximately $2.1 million and total output of $4.8 million.

• Based on Columbus County’s FY19 tax rate of $0.805 per $100 property valuation, the property would generate an additional $32,200 in county taxes each year. The annual payroll is projected to generate about $1.4 million at full employment.

• These wages are likely to create retail sales of $857,550 each year in the short term and as much as $1.7 million at full employment.









Direct Impacts: The known or predicted change in the economy that is being studied. In this analysis, the direct impacts are the changes associated with the project site.








Construction/Renovation Impact: Employment

In Delco area, approximately 40 jobs will result from the construction of the ILP shell building. The jobs attributed to this new construction activity are temporary and only for the duration of construction project. Once construction is completed these jobs will no longer be available.

Construction/Renovation Impact: Financial

The construction of this facility will add $2.1 million to the local gross domestic product (GDP) of Columbus County with increased output of $5.2 million.

Construction/Renovation Impact: Delco Area/Columbus County


Direct Effect 40.3 $1,220,562 $1,514,998 $4,000,000

Indirect Effect 5.5 $165,078 $281,860 $617,998

Induced Effect 5.9 $158,109 $335,490 $628,579

Total Effect 51.6 $1,543,749 $2,132,348 $5,246,576



Estimated Operations Impact 100,000 SF Industrial Shell Building


At the ILP shell building, approximately 32 jobs will result from the operations of the company with approximately 25 needed for facility operations. The jobs associated with this project are permanent and continuous jobs, with an annual impact.

Operations Impact (Short Term): Local Gross Domestic Product

Operations of this type of business are estimated to add $1.1 million to the local gross domestic product (GDP) of Columbus County and increase output by $2.4 million.

Operations Impact (Short Term): Delco Area/Columbus County


Direct Effect 25 $560,320 $700,004 $1,687,237

Indirect Effect 4.3 $101,822 $209,111 $421,349

Induced Effect 2.8 $75,061 $158,817 $297,750

Total Effect 32.1 $737,203 $1,067,932 $2,406,335


At the ILP shell building, approximately 64 jobs will result from the operations of the company with approximately 50 needed for facility operations. The jobs associated with this project are permanent and continuous jobs, with an annual impact.

Operations Impact Incubator (Long Term): Local Gross Domestic Product

Operations of this type of business are estimated to add $2.1 million to the local gross domestic product (GDP) of Columbus County and increase output by $4.8 million.

Operations Impact (Long Term): Delco Area/Columbus County


Direct Effect 50 $1,120,640 $1,400,008 $3,374,474

Indirect Effect 8.6 $203,644 $418,223 $842,697

Induced Effect 5.5 $150,121 $317,634 $595,499

Total Effect 64.1 $1,474,405 $2,135,865 $4,812,671



Local Tax Revenue

Columbus County’s property tax rate is $.805 per $100 valuation and would generate approximately $32,200 in new annual taxes for the County.

New Construction FY2019 Columbus County Tax Rate

Annual New Property Tax for Columbus County

$4,000,000 $.805/100 $32,200

Wages7

The Warehousing/Storage business is expected to create an initial 25 jobs with most positions paying approximately $14.00 per hour or $560 per week. The total estimated annual payroll is expected to be about $728,000. With 50 jobs expected in the long term, the total estimated annual payroll will be $1,456,000.

Retail Sales

The average household within 5-miles of Delco spends approximately $34,302 in retail goods, food and drink.8 With 25 new paychecks added to the local economy, retail sales could increase by as much as $857,550 each year. At full term with 50 jobs created, retail sales could increase by as much as $1.7 million.

7 Occupational Employment & Wages in NC (OES) 2018 Production Occupations Columbus County 8 US Census & ESRI Market Profile 5-mile radius







1. Finalize Building Design & Costs A. Select architect, general contractor a. Determine infrastructure needs/costs b. Zoning & permit needs from County

Month 1-2

2. Acquire funding for project A. Apply to potential funding sources: a. Columbus County b. NC Department of Commerce

i. via Economic Development Partnership of NC (EDPNC) c. Golden LEAF Foundation

[Note: Successful funding approvals will likely determine timing of work start]

Month 1-2

3. Funding confirmation Month 3-4


5. Complete renovation Finish punch-lists and receive Certificate of Occupancy Month 12-14



Columbus County Economic Development Commission Section 4.4-Fair Bluff Page 1

Project #4: “Produce Processing Center/Commercial Kitchen” - Fair Bluff NC

Option A: Potential New Construction Site Option B: 11917 Andrew Jackson Hwy SW (Former “Umbro Building”) Description Produce Processing Center/Commercial Kitchen & possible Call Center – Local growers have asked for a commercial kitchen and produce processing center to be able to sell to grocery store chains and others. One grower is producing 30,000 pounds of tomatoes quarterly in a controlled growing environment. Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification would be sought by growers. If building was divided and used as a combined produce processing plant and as a call center location, this could provide 100 to 150 jobs in Columbus County. This project was cited in the Hurricane Matthew Resilient Redevelopment Plan. Fair Bluff is within a Qualified Opportunity Zone. There are two potential options for locating this project: Option A: Construct a new 15,000 square foot multi-tenant incubator building on donated property. By constructing a new building, higher ceilings (18’-25’) could be incorporated in the design, which are a major attribute to attract new industry. The building would also be closer to the downtown commercial district which would benefit from the new employment. Option B: Renovate an existing 50,000 square foot shell building, multi-tenant, that could be donated to Columbus County or Columbus Jobs Foundation (501c3). The former Umbro building needs a new roof, HVAC Systems, wiring, lighting, etc. and re-paved parking lot. The building’s ceiling heights are only 12’-14’, which are less desirable for industrial recruitment. Potential Job Creation Project would provide up to 150 jobs long term.



Community Snapshot

The figures in Table 1 show the summary demographics of the 5-mile Primary Trade Area (PTA) that includes and extends beyond the corporate limits of Fair Bluff.


The Employment Status in Table 2 estimates the number of people in Fair Bluff available for work. The Labor Force Participation estimate refers to the number of people available for work as a percentage of Fair Bluff’s total population.


Table 1: Summary Demographics - 5 Mile Radius of Fair Bluff1



2017 Households 966 22,489 xx xx 2017 Median Household Income $35,909 $43,629 $48,918 $56,124 2017 Average Household Income $47,094 54,158 $69,520 $80,675 2017 Per Capita Income $19,998 $19,989 $26,779 $31,128 2017 Median Disposable Income $30,245 $30,630 $40,095 $46,430

Table 2: Employment Status (Fair Bluff) (2016)2

Subject

Total Estimate


Population 16 years & over 738 40.1% AGE

16 to 19 years 8 100% 20 to 24 years 40 0% 25 to 29 years 32 25.0% 30 to 34 years 56 37.5% 35 to 44 years 58 79.3% 45 to 54 years 157 65.6% 55 to 59 years 64 57.8% 60 to 64 years 54 5.6% 65 to 74 years 136 19.1%





The Educational Attainment estimate in Table 3 refers to levels of education attained by the number of people available for work as a percentage of Fair Bluff’s total population.

Table 3: Educational Attainment (Fair Bluff) (2016)3


% of Population

Fair Bluff Population 25 years and over 690 (X) Less than 9th grade 58 8.4% 9th to 12th grade, no diploma 100 14.5% High school graduate (includes equivalency) 273 39.6% Some college, no degree 166 24.1% Associate's degree 31 4.5% Bachelor's degree 26 3.8% Graduate or professional degree 36 5.2%

Table 4 shows the primary job location (in 2015) to where Fair Bluff residents commute. The table is based on 284 primary jobs.


Table 4: Places Where Fair Bluff Residents Work (2015)4 Primary Employment Place Job Share Whiteville 13.4% Fair Bluff 5.6% Lumberton 5.3% Wilmington 3.9% Charlotte 3.5% Fair Bluff 3.2% Raleigh 2.8% Tabor City 2.8% Dillon, SC 2.5% Fayetteville 2.1% All Other Locations 54.9%




Primary Trade Area

The red circle in Map 1 (below) shows Fair Bluff’s Primary Trade Area (PTA) which extends beyond its corporate limits.

Map 1: 5-Mile Radius of Fair Bluff




The data in Table 5 shows the Retail Leakage from the Primary Trade Area of Fair Bluff. This information is provided to show potential business and job opportunities in Fair Bluff. In a 5-mile radius of Fair Bluff, there was retail leakage in almost all categories, with General Merchandise Stores ($2,446,878) leading the way. Food and Beverage Stores ($1,865,678) and Restaurants/Other Eating Places ($1,731,093) were next. The Total Retail Trade and Food and Drink leakage was $1,775,914.




Table 5: Summary Retail Leakage - 5 Mile Radius of Fair Bluff5

Industry Group Demand Supply Leakage General Merchandise Stores

$3,594,415

$1,147,537

$2,446,878

Food Services & Drinking Places

$2,086,309

$220,631

$1,865,678

Restaurants/Other Eating Places

$1,951,724

$220,631

$1,731,093

Miscellaneous Store Retailers

$1,129,990

$0

$1,129,990


$889,947

$0

$889,947

Furniture & Home Furnishings Stores

$751,515

$0

$751,515

Electronics & Appliance Stores

$572,841

$0

$572,841

Sporting Goods, Hobby, Book & Music

$543,561

$0

$543,561 Non-store Retailers

$405,747

$0

$405,747


$1,561,587

$1,744,956

-$183,369

Gasoline Stations

$2,773,516

$2,983,342

-$209,826 Food & Beverage Stores

$4,008,901

$4,826,883

-$817,982

Motor Vehicle & Parts Dealers

$5,601,818

$7,109,514

-$1,507,696

Bldg. Materials, Garden Equip. & Supply

$1,808,412

$5,905,719

-$4,097,307


$23,952,646

$1,775,914




Economic Impact of Produce Processing Center/ Commercial Kitchen (Wholesale Trade) & Call Center

This report estimates the economic contributions and impacts of a commercial kitchen/produce processing center and call center. Option A: Construct a new 15,000 square foot multi-tenant incubator building with high ceilings on donated property. Option B: The existing 50,000 square foot building will be repaired and up-fitted. The several businesses will create up to 150 jobs. The purpose of this report is to provide information related to the potential economic impact of industry activities. Results are estimates and are derived from inputs provided by the involved companies and in some cases based on forecast.


Produce Processing Center (Wholesale Trade) & Business Support (Call Center) Overview

Proposed Project Location Fair Bluff, NC (Columbus County) IMPLAN Sector Construction Renovation (Temporary)

IMPLAN Sector 62 – Maintenance and repair construction of nonresidential buildings

IMPLAN Sector New Construction (Temporary) IMPLAN Sector 58 – Construction of other new nonresidential structures

IMPLAN Sector (Operations) IMPLAN Sector 395- Wholesale Trade IMPLAN Sector (Operations) IMPLAN Sector 465 – Business Support Services Total Employment (Initial) 75 Total Employment (Expansion) 150 Investment in Facility Renovation (Umbro Bldg) $3,000,000 Investment in New Construction $1,320,000

Summary of Produce Processing Center/Commercial Kitchen/Call Center and Impacts

New Construction

• The construction of a new 15,0000 square foot multi-tenant incubator shell building will cost approximately $1,320,000

• The construction of the new building will support an additional 13 jobs in Fair Bluff and Columbus County during the construction phase.

• The new construction will generate an additional $110,712 in Fair Bluff and the county’s economy.

Renovation

• The former Umbro building, an existing 50,000 square foot building, multi-tenant, will be renovated and up-fit at a cost of $3,000,000.

• The renovation and up-fit of the building will support an additional 26 jobs in Fair Bluff and Columbus County during the construction phase.

• The renovation will generate an additional $226,735 in Fair Bluff and the county’s economy. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~







• The Commercial Kitchen/Produce Processing Center could create up to 75 jobs for a total employment impact of 117 jobs. A Call Center could create up to 75 jobs for a total employment impact of 86 jobs. The combined entities could create more than 150 jobs.

• Both operations, at full employment, would increase the local gross domestic product (GDP) to $10.1 million and total output in Fair Bluff/Columbus County by $17 million.

• Based on the Town of Fair Bluff’s FY19 tax rate of $0.65 per $100 property valuation, the local taxes of the new building would generate an additional $8,580 each year, and approximately $19,500 for the renovated building. Columbus County’s FY19 tax rate of $0.805 per $100 valuation would generate an approximate $10,626 in additional taxes for the new building and approximately $24,150 in county taxes for the renovated building each year.

• The annual payroll of both entities is projected to generate $3.6 at full employment. • These wages are likely to create retail sales of $2.6 million dollars each year.










Estimated Renovation and Construction Impact

Umbro Building Renovation Impact: Employment

In Fair Bluff, approximately 26 jobs will result from renovation and up-fit of the Umbro facility. The jobs attributed to this renovation construction activity are temporary and only for the duration of construction project. Once renovation is completed these jobs will no longer be available.

Umbro Building Renovation Impact: Financial

The renovation and up-fit of this facility will add $1,460,842 to the local gross domestic product (GDP) of Fair Bluff and Columbus County and increased output of $4 million.



Umbro Building Renovation Impact: Fair Bluff/Columbus County

Impact Type Employment Labor Income Value Added (GDP) Output

Direct Effect 26.5 $775,783 $963,051 $3,000,000

Indirect Effect 5.8 $159,187 $271,055 $580,991

Induced Effect 4 $106,804 $226,735 $424,769

Total Effect 36.2 $1,041,774 $1,460,842 $4,005,760

New Building Construction Impact: Employment

Approximately 13 jobs will result from construction of a new building. The jobs attributed to this new construction activity are temporary and only for the duration of construction project. Once construction is completed these jobs will no longer be available.

New Building Construction Impact: Financial

The construction of this facility will add $703,675 to the local gross domestic product (GDP) of Fair Bluff and Columbus County and increased output of $1.7 million.

New Building Construction Impact: Fair Bluff/Columbus County


Direct Effect 13.3 $402,786 $499,949 $1,320,000

Indirect Effect 1.8 $54,476 $93,014 $203,939

Induced Effect 1.9 $52,176 $110,712 $207,431

Total Effect 17 $509,437 $703,675 $1,731,370


Operations Impact Produce Processing (Wholesale Trade)/Commercial Kitchen: Employment

In Fair Bluff, approximately 117 jobs will result from the operations of the company with approximately 75 needed for facility operations. The jobs associated with this project are permanent and continuous jobs, with an annual impact.

Operations Impact Produce Processing (Wholesale Trade)/Commercial Kitchen: Local Gross Domestic Product

Operations of this new facility are estimated to add $8.9 million to the local gross domestic product (GDP) of Fair Bluff/Columbus County and increase output by $17 million.



Operations Impact Produce Processing (Wholesale Trade)/Commercial Kitchen: Fair Bluff/Columbus County


Direct Effect 75 $3,097,180 $6,793,729 $12,861,812

Indirect Effect 26.5 $707,796 $1,196,245 $2,517,932

Induced Effect 15.9 $430,951 $911,476 $1,708,977

Total Effect 117.4 $4,235,928 $8,901,450 $17,088,721

Operations Impact Business Support Services (Call Center): Employment

Once the company is fully operational, an estimated 86 jobs are expected to result with approximately 75 needed for facility operations. The jobs associated with this project are permanent and continuous jobs, with an annual impact.

Operations Impact Business Support Services (Call Center): Local Gross Domestic Product

Operations of this new facility are estimated to add $1.2 million to the local gross domestic product (GDP) in Fair Bluff/Columbus County and increase output by $3.4 million.

Operations Impact Business Support Services (Call Center): Fair Bluff/Columbus County


Direct Effect 75 $668,879 $746,513 $2,366,380

Indirect Effect 7.7 $197,576 $324,267 $658,751

Induced Effect 3.7 $99,212 $210,835 $394,892

Total Effect 86.3 $965,667 $1,281,615 $3,420,022



Local Tax Revenue

Fair Bluff’s local property tax rate is $.65 per $100 valuation for FY2019. The proposed building renovation and up-fit is $3,000,000 and will yield approximately $19,500 in new taxes for the Town of Fair Bluff. Columbus County’s property tax rate is $.805 per $100 valuation and would generate approximately $24,650 in new annual taxes for the County.

New Construction* / Renovation

Value

FY2019 Fair Bluff Tax

Rate


Fair Bluff

FY2019 Columbus

County Tax Rate


Columbus County

$1,320,000* $.65/100 $8,580 $.805/100 $10,626

$3,000,000 $.65/100 $19,500 $.805/100 $24,150

Wages

The Commercial Kitchen/Produce Processing Center is expected to create 75 jobs in processing and packaging fresh produce for shipment with most positions paying in the range of $10-12 per hour, or $480 per week. The total estimated annual payroll is expected to be about $1.8 million. The Call Center would create about 75 jobs as well at the same hourly rates. Total annual payroll for both entities combined would be about $3.6 million.

Retail Sales

The average household in Fair Bluff spends approximately $17,600 in retail goods, food and drink.7 With 150 new paychecks added to the local economy, retail sales could increase by as much as $2,640,000 each year.

7 US Census & ESRI Market Profile 5-mile radius







1. Control Property A. Determine ownership entity B. Determine acquisition cost (donation or purchase)

Month 1

2. Renovation/Up-fit Design Needs & Costs A. Select architect, general contractor B. Determine infrastructure needs/costs C. Zoning & permit needs from Town and County

Month 2

3. Acquire funding for project A. Apply to potential funding/grant sources a. Town of Fair Bluff b. Columbus County

B. Federal EDA (new building) C. State of NC

a. Economic Development Partnership of NC (EDPNC) i. One North Carolina Fund (One NC) ii. Building Reuse Program iii. Building Reuse Program - Community Development Block

Grant (CDBG) b. NC Commerce Rural Division Building Reuse Program c. Customized training at Southeast Community College


Month 2


5. Produce Processing / Call Center Opens Move-in and work begins Month 12-14



Columbus County Economic Development Commission Section 4.5-Tabor City Page 1

Project #5 “Industrial/Business Incubator II” - Tabor City NC

Former Heilig Meyer Building, 117 W Fifth Street, downtown Tabor City

Description The 12,000-square foot former Heilig-Meyer Furniture building, located in the middle of downtown Tabor City, has been donated to the Town to develop a second industrial/business incubator. The first incubator has been successful and remains full. This project will serve two purposes: renovate a 1950’s-era building in downtown and help create opportunities to develop new businesses that will incorporate new life into the business district. According to a 2017 feasibility study, “Tabor City Industrial Incubator: A Feasibility Study” prepared by NC Growth indicates a new incubator is warranted. “Our study finds that developing a second industrial incubator in Tabor City is a timely investment; industrial growth is occurring slowly in Tabor City, and that growth will be stifled if additional industrial space is not made available to industries who express interest in Tabor City.” – Author Sadie Nott, NC Growth Analyst. The building, cited in the 2017 Feasibility Study, is within Tabor City’s Historic District it is considered a non-contributing building and ineligible for state and federal historic tax credits. Tabor City is in a Qualified Opportunity Zone. Potential Job Creation Project would create 60-80 jobs long term.



Community Snapshot

The figures in Table 1 show the summary demographics of the 5-mile Primary Trade Area (PTA) that includes and extends beyond the corporate limits of Tabor City.


The Employment Status in Table 2 estimates the number of people in Tabor City available for work. The Labor Force Participation estimate refers to the number of people available for work as a percentage of Tabor City’s total population.


Table 1: Summary Demographics - 5 Mile Radius of Tabor City1




Table 2: Employment Status (Tabor City) (2016)2

Subject

Total Estimate








The Educational Attainment estimate in Table 3 refers to levels of education attained by the number of people available for work as a percentage of Tabor City’s total population.

Table 3: Educational Attainment (Tabor City) (2016)3


% of Population

Tabor City Population 25 years and over 3,030 (X) Less than 9th grade 279 9.2% 9th to 12th grade, no diploma 511 16.9% High school graduate (includes equivalency) 1,002 33.1% Some college, no degree 797 26.3% Associate's degree 161 5.3% Bachelor's degree 180 5.9% Graduate or professional degree 100 3.3%

Table 4 shows the primary job location (in 2015) to where Tabor City residents commute. The table is based on 1,033 primary jobs. The data shows approximately 16.7% of workers from Tabor City commute to primary jobs in South Carolina.


Table 4: Places Where Tabor City Residents Work (2015)4 Primary Employment Place Job Share Tabor City 12.6% Whiteville 10.0% Myrtle Beach, SC 4.6% North Myrtle Beach, SC 4.3% Loris, SC 3.7% Raleigh 3.0% Wilmington 2.9% Conway, SC 2.2% Charlotte 2.0% Little River, SC 1.9% All Other Locations 52.8%




Primary Trade Area

The red circle in Map 1 (below) shows Tabor City’s Primary Trade Area (PTA) which extends beyond its corporate limits.

Map 1: 5-Mile Radius of Tabor City




The data in Table 5 shows the Retail Leakage from the Primary Trade Area of Tabor City. This information is provided to show potential business and job opportunities in Tabor City. In a 5-mile radius of Tabor City, there was retail leakage in many categories, with General Merchandise Stores ($6,386,857) leading the way. Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers ($5,072,433) and Building Materials, Garden Equipment, and Supply Stores ($1,989,396) were next. There was a surplus for Gasoline Stations ($-10,025,529), Health and Personal Care Stores ($-13,517,974), and Food and Beverage Stores ($-15,143,143). The Total Retail Trade and Food and Drink surplus was ($-20,416,838).




Table 5: Summary Retail Leakage - 5 Mile Radius of Tabor City5

Industry Group Demand Supply Leakage General Merchandise Stores

$9,397,130

$3,010,273

$6,386,857 Motor Vehicle & Parts Dealers

$13,734,590

$8,662,157

$5,072,433

Bldg Materials, Garden Equip. & Supply Stores

$4,395,641

$2,406,245

$1,989,396 Clothing & Clothing Accessories Stores

$2,398,364

$479,441

$1,918,923 Furniture & Home Furnishings Stores

$1,999,241

$246,696

$1,752,545

Sporting Goods, Hobby, Book & Music Stores

$1,465,320

$0

$1,465,320 Food Services & Drinking Places

$5,664,699

$4,805,034

$859,665 Restaurants/Other Eating Places

$5,266,458

$4,783,238

$483,220

Miscellaneous Store Retailers

$2,677,406

$2,934,637

-$257,231 Nonstore Retailers

$1,000,570

$1,410,340

-$409,770


$1,553,675

$2,062,004

-$508,329 Gasoline Stations

$7,012,698

$17,038,227

-$10,025,529


$3,933,681

$17,451,655

-$13,517,974 Food & Beverage Stores

$10,339,369

$25,482,512

-$15,143,143


$85,989,221

-$20,416,838




Economic Impact of Industrial/Business Incubator II

This report estimates the economic contributions and impacts of a second business incubator in Tabor City. The existing 12,000 square foot building will be repaired and up-fitted. As businesses start and grow through each 3-year cycle, the incubator is estimated to create up to 80 jobs over 9 years. The goal is to expand and keep those businesses, and any spin-off businesses, in Tabor City ultimately providing additional jobs.

*To develop the potential economic impact of the incubator, we are using, as a basis, two of the main types of businesses that are at the current incubator: Information Technology and Light Manufacturing. For the purposes of determining a reasonable impact, we are assuming 30 jobs for each business type.



Industrial/Business Incubator II

Proposed Project Location Tabor City, NC (Columbus County) IMPLAN Sector (Construction Renovation) Temporary


IMPLAN Sector (Operations) IMPLAN Sector 386- Doll, Toy & Game Manufacturing IMPLAN Sector (Operations) IMPLAN Sector 452 – Computer Systems Design Services Total Employment (Initial) 30 Total Employment (Expansion) 80 Investment in Facility Up-fits $1,000,000

Summary of *Industrial/Business Incubator and its Impacts

• *To develop the potential economic impact of the incubator, we are using, as a basis, two of the main types of businesses that are at the current incubator: Information Technology and Light Manufacturing. For the purposes of determining a reasonable impact, we are assuming 30 jobs for each business type.

• An existing 12,000 square foot building will be renovated and up-fit at a cost of $1,000,000 • The renovation and up-fit of the building will support an additional 8 jobs in Tabor City and Columbus County

during the construction phase. • The construction will generate an additional $75,578 in Tabor City and the county’s economy. • The 30 new jobs* created by Computer Systems Design Services would cause another 14 jobs to be created in

Tabor City/Columbus County for a total employment impact of 44 new jobs. • The 30 new jobs* created by Doll, Toy, Gaming Manufacturing would cause another 14 jobs to be created in

Tabor City/Columbus County for a total employment impact of 44 new jobs. • The Industrial/Business Incubator would increase the local gross domestic product (GDP) to approximately $2

million and total output in Tabor City/Columbus County by $6.9 million. • Based on the Town of Tabor City’s FY19 tax rate of $0.67 per $100 property valuation, the local taxes would

generate an additional $6,700 each year. Columbus County’s FY19 tax rate of $0.805 per $100 valuation would generate an additional $5,394 in county taxes each year.







• The annual payroll is projected to generate about $2 million at full employment. • These wages are likely to create retail sales of $1.7 million dollars each year.











Construction/Renovation Impact: Employment

In Tabor City, approximately 8 jobs will result from renovation and up-fit of the existing building. The jobs attributed to this new construction activity are temporary and only for the duration of construction project. Once construction is completed these jobs will no longer be available.

Construction/Renovation Impact: Financial

The renovation and up-fit of this facility will add $486,947to the local gross domestic product (GDP) of Tabor City and Columbus County with increased output of $1,335,253 million.

Construction/Renovation Impact: Tabor City/Columbus County


Direct Effect 8.8 $258,594 $321,017 $1,000,000

Indirect Effect 1.9 $53,062 $90,352 $193,664

Induced Effect 1.3 $35,601 $75,578 $141,590

Total Effect 12.1 $347,258 $486,947 $1,335,253




Operations Impact Incubator - Computer Systems Design Services: Employment

In Tabor City, approximately 44 jobs will result from the operations of the company with approximately 30 needed for facility operations. The jobs associated with this project are permanent and continuous jobs, with an annual impact.

Operations Impact Incubator - Computer Systems Design Services: Local Gross Domestic Product

Operations of this type of business are estimated to add $2.6 million to the local gross domestic product (GDP) of Tabor City/Columbus County and increase output by $4.3 million.

Operations Impact Incubator- Computer Systems Design Services: Tabor City/Columbus County


Direct Effect 30 $1,950,469 $1,905,949 $2,939,774

Indirect Effect 5.8 $145,837 $245,395 $471,754

Induced Effect 8.8 $238,556 $505,599 $947,541

Total Effect 44.6 $2,334,862 $2,656,944 $4,359,069

Operations Impact Incubator – Doll, Toy, Gaming Manufacturing: Employment

In Tabor City, approximately 44 jobs will result from the operations of the company with approximately 30 needed for facility operations. The jobs associated with this project are permanent and continuous jobs, with an annual impact.

Operations Impact Incubator – Doll, Toy, Gaming Manufacturing: Local Gross Domestic Product

Operations of this type of business are estimated to add $2.6 million to the local gross domestic product (GDP) in Tabor City/Columbus County and increase output by $6.9 million.

Operations Impact Incubator – Doll, Toy, Gaming Manufacturing: Tabor City/Columbus County


Direct Effect 30 $1,884,640 $1,863,039 $5,322,969

Indirect Effect 5.8 $167,360 $283,904 $684,476

Induced Effect 8.6 $232,245 $491,049 $920,761

Total Effect 44.4 $2,284,245 $2,637,992 $6,982,206



Local Tax Revenue

Tabor City’s local property tax rate is $.67 per $100 valuation for FY2019. The proposed building renovation and up-fit is $1,000,000 and will yield approximately $$6,700 in new taxes for the Town of Tabor City. Columbus County’s property tax rate is $.805 per $100 valuation and would generate approximately $5,394 in new annual taxes for the County.

Renovation Value FY2019

Tabor City Tax Rate

Annual New Property Tax for Tabor City

FY2019 Columbus

County Tax Rate

Annual New

Property Tax for

Columbus County

$1,000,000 $.67/100 $6,700 $.805/100 $5,394

Wages7

Computer and Mathematical Occupations is expected to create 30 most positions paying approximately $19.00 per hour or $760 per week. The total estimated annual payroll is expected to be about $1.1 million. The Assemblers & Fabricators would create about 30 jobs at approximately $14.00 per hour or $560 per week. Total annual payroll would be about $873,600. Combined annual payroll for both entities would be about $2 million.

Retail Sales

The average household within 5-miles of Tabor City spends approximately $29,307 in retail goods, food and drink.8 With 60 new paychecks added to the local economy, retail sales could increase by as much as $1,758,424 each year.

7 Occupational Employment & Wages in NC (OES) 8 US Census & ESRI Market Profile 5-mile radius




This timeline is intended only to provide a general framework for time and actions from the beginning of the project to its fruition. There are many more steps, details and actions to take by those involved in the project




Month 1

2. Acquire funding for project A. Apply to potential funding/grant sources a. Columbus County

B. Federal

a. Economic Development Administration

C. State of NC a. Economic Development Partnership of NC (EDPNC)

i. One North Carolina Fund (One NC) ii. Building Reuse Program iii. Building Reuse Program - Community Development Block



Month 2


4. Industrial/Business Incubator Opens Move-in and work begins Month 12-14



Columbus County Economic Development Commission Section 4.6-Whiteville Page 1

Project #6: Microbrewery in Whiteville NC

609 S Madison Street Aerial

Description 611 S Madison Street is a 3,100 square-foot late 1940’s-era storefront located next to a popular restaurant in downtown Whiteville. This project will serve two purposes: renovate a 1940’s building in downtown and help create opportunities to develop new businesses that will incorporate new life into the business district. This building would be a contributing building to a future historic district, the renovation of which could benefit from state and federal Historic Tax Credits. The estimated renovation cost for this building is approximately $108,500. Whiteville is located within a Qualified Opportunity Zone. In July 2018, Whiteville’s downtown district was designated a Downtown Associate Community (DAC) with the NC Main Street Center, a division of NC Department of Commerce. This is a 3-year pathway to becoming a NC Main Street Community, which will then be eligible for grants and other economic considerations. Potential Job Creation Project would create an initial 15 jobs.

Community Snapshot

The figures in Table 1 show the summary demographics of the 5-mile Primary Trade Area (PTA) that includes and extends beyond the corporate limits of Whiteville.

1 Quick Facts, NC (www.census.gov/quickfacts)

Table 1: Summary Demographics - 5 Mile Radius of Whiteville1




609 S Madison Street front





The Employment Status in Table 2 estimates the number of people in Whiteville available for work. The Labor Force Participation estimate refers to the number of people available for work as a percentage of Whiteville’s total population.

Educational Attainment

The Educational Attainment estimate in Table 3 refers to levels of education attained by the number of people available for work as a percentage of Whiteville’s total population.

Table 3: Educational Attainment (Whiteville) (2016)3


% of Population

Whiteville Population 25 years and over 3,684 (X) Less than 9th grade 199 5.4% 9th to 12th grade, no diploma 432 11.7% High school graduate (includes equivalency) 979 26.6% Some college, no degree 1,072 29.1% Associate's degree 396 10.7% Bachelor's degree 371 10.1% Graduate or professional degree 235 6.4%

2 US Census, 2012-2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates 3 US Census, 2012-2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

Table 2: Employment Status (Whiteville) (2016)2

Subject

Total Estimate







Primary Job Location

Table 4 shows the primary job location (in 2015) to where Whiteville residents commute. The table is based on 1,840 primary jobs.

4 US Census On the Map (www.onthemap.ces.census.gov)

Table 4: Places Where Whiteville Residents Work (2015)4 Primary Employment Place Job Share Whiteville 31.0% Wilmington 4.1% Lumberton 3.8% Raleigh 3.0% Fayetteville 2.6% Charlotte 2.1% Lake Waccamaw 1.4% Chadbourn 1.4% Tabor City 1.4% Elizabethtown 1.2% All other locations 48.0%




Primary Trade Area

The red circle in Map 1 (below) shows Whiteville’s Primary Trade Area (PTA) which extends beyond its corporate limits.

Map 1: 5-Mile Radius of Whiteville




The data in Table 5 shows the Retail Leakage from the Primary Trade Area of Whiteville. This information is provided to show potential business and job opportunities in Whiteville. In a 5-mile radius of Whiteville, there was not retail leakage in most categories, with Miscellaneous Store Retailers ($2,777,903) leading the way. Non-store Retailers ($2,144,458) and Electronics and Appliance Stores ($1,571,790) were next.




Table 5: Summary Retail Leakage - 5 Mile Radius of Whiteville5

Industry Group Demand Supply Leakage Miscellaneous Store Retailers

$5,791,084

$3,013,181

$2,777,903 Non-store Retailers

$2,144,458

$0 $2,144,458


$3,287,386

$1,715,596

$1,571,790 Furniture & Home Furnishings Stores

$4,260,357

$3,695,036

$565,321


$5,143,625

$5,013,867

$129,758 Sporting Goods, Hobby, Book & Music Stores

$3,009,255

$3,791,399

-$782,144

Motor Vehicle & Parts Dealers

$28,139,424

$37,487,322

-$9,347,898 Bldg. Materials, Garden Equip. & Supply Stores

$9,013,682

$24,371,118

-$15,357,436

Food Services & Drinking Places

$11,821,445

$29,541,523

-$17,720,078 Restaurants/Other Eating Places

$10,992,593

$29,360,134

-$18,367,541

Gasoline Stations

$14,086,404

$42,566,148

-$28,479,744 Food & Beverage Stores

$21,512,325

$51,750,584

-$30,238,259


$8,133,153

$46,800,912

-$38,667,759 General Merchandise Stores

$19,606,664

$83,305,884

-$63,699,220


$333,052,569

-$197,103,305




Economic Impact of Microbrewery

This report estimates the economic contributions and impacts of a new brewery in the downtown area of Whiteville.

The target building is a 3,100 square-foot late 1940’s-era storefront at 611 S. Madison Street located next to a popular restaurant in downtown Whiteville. This project will serve two purposes: renovate a 1940’s building in downtown and help create opportunities to develop new businesses that will incorporate new life into the business district.

The purpose of this report is to provide information related to the potential economic impact of industry activities. Results are estimates and are derived from inputs provided by the involved companies or economic developers and in some cases based on forecast.


Microbrewery

Proposed Project Location Whiteville, NC (Columbus County) IMPLAN Sector (Construction Renovation) Temporary


IMPLAN Sector (Operations) IMPLAN Sector 395- Wholesale Trade Total Employment (Initial) 15 Investment in Madison St. Renovation (3,100 sf) $ 108,500

Summary of Microbrewery and its Impacts

• Renovation and up-fit of Madison Street: $108,500 (3,100 sf)

• 1 job created during renovation and up-fit phase of the Madison Street building

• Additional $52,834 from Madison Street for city and county economy during renovation phase.

• 15 new jobs created by a Microbrewery would cause another 17 jobs to be created for a total employment impact of 32 new jobs.

• Local gross domestic product (GDP) would increase to approximately $4.8 million and total output for City & County by $12.5M.

• Based on the Town of Whiteville’s FY19 tax rate of $0.53 per $100 property valuation, local taxes for the Madison Street building would generate an additional $575 each year; Whiteville’s downtown Municipal Service District tax an additional $130.00; and Columbus County’s FY19 tax rate of $0.805 per $100 valuation would generate an additional $873 in county taxes each year.







• The annual payroll is projected to generate about $445,000 at full employment. These wages are likely to create retail sales of $457,395 dollars each year.










Estimated Renovation Impact

Madison Street Renovation Impact: Employment

In Whiteville, approximately 1 job will result from renovation and up-fit of the Madison Street building. The job attributed to this renovation activity are temporary and only for the duration of construction project. Once construction is completed this job will no longer be available.

Madison Street Renovation Impact: Financial

The renovation and up-fit of this facility will add $52,834 to the local gross domestic product (GDP) of Whiteville and Columbus County with increased output of $144,875.

Madison Street Renovation Impact: Whiteville/Columbus County


Direct Effect 1 $28,058 $34,830 $108,500

Indirect Effect 0.2 $5,757 $9,803 $21,013

Induced Effect 0.1 $3,863 $8,200 $15,362

Total Effect 1.3 $37,677 $52,834 $144,875




Operations Impact Incubator - Microbrewery: Employment

In Whiteville, approximately 32 jobs will result from the operations of the company with approximately 15 needed for facility operations. The jobs associated with this project are permanent and continuous jobs, with an annual impact.

Operations Impact Incubator - Microbrewery: Local Gross Domestic Product

Operations of this type of business are estimated to add $4.8 million to the local gross domestic product (GDP) of Whiteville/Columbus County and increase output by $12.5 million.

Operations Impact - Microbrewery: Whiteville/Columbus County


Direct Effect 15 $1,425,417 $3,922,764 $10,323,063

Indirect Effect 10 $292,164 $503,251 $1,426,463

Induced Effect 7.3 $196,497 $417,417 $781,882

Total Effect 32.3 $1,914,078 $4,843,432 $12,531,408

Local Tax Revenue

Based on the Town of Whiteville’s FY19 tax rate of $0.53 per $100 property valuation, local taxes for the Madison Street building would generate an additional $575 each year. Whiteville’s downtown Municipal Service District tax rate would generate an additional $130.00. Columbus County’s FY19 tax rate of $0.805 per $100 valuation would generate an additional $873 in county taxes each year.

Renovation Value

FY2019 Whiteville Tax Rate

Annual New Property

Tax Whiteville

Downtown Municipal

Service District (MSD)

Annual New MSD Tax

FY2019 Columbus

County Tax Rate

Annual New Property Tax

Columbus County

$108,500 $.53/100 $575 $.12/100 $130 $.805/100 $873

Wages7

The microbrewery project is expected to create 15 jobs with most positions paying approximately $14.00 per hour or $568 per week. The total estimated annual payroll is expected to be about $445,000.

7 Occupational Employment & Wages in NC (OES) 2018 Production Occupations Columbus County



Retail Sales

The average household within 5-miles of Whiteville spends approximately $30,493 in retail goods, food and drink.8 With 15 new paychecks added to the local economy, retail sales could increase by as much as $457,395 each year.




8 US Census & ESRI Market Profile 5-mile radius


1. Control Property A. Determine ownership entity B. Determine acquisition cost (donation or purchase)

Month 1


Month 2

3. Acquire funding for project A. Apply to potential funding/grant sources a. Town of Whiteville b. Columbus County

B. State of NC a. Economic Development Partnership of NC (EDPNC)

i. One North Carolina Fund (One NC) ii. Building Reuse Program iii. Building Reuse Program - Community Development Block


C. Golden LEAF Foundation


Month 2


5. Microbrewery opens Move-in and work begins Month 12-14



Columbus County Economic Development Commission Section 4.7-Lake Waccamaw Page 1

Project #7: Lake Waccamaw: Economic Development Assessment

Description The town of Lake Waccamaw is located on the northern shore of Lake Waccamaw which is one of the Carolina Bays that dot the eastern part of the state1. The town has a resort focus and the lake continues to be an attraction for the region. Many families have second homes along the lake and the retirement community in town is active. The small-town atmosphere and quality of life adds to the charm of the town. The lake is the prominent asset and water sports, such as sailing and fishing, are major focuses for the area. The Lake Waccamaw State Park and North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission Game lands add other aspects of recreation such as camping, hiking, paddling, hunting, and bird watching.

Grocery and food services are potential economic areas that could be expanded to meet existing demand. Existing business expansion and eco-tourism are major areas the town could enhance and develop around outdoor recreation. These initiatives are addressed further in this section.

1 Lake Waccamaw: NC Parks



Community Snapshot

Lake Waccamaw and the surrounding area have been inhabited for centuries by Native Americans and later by Colonial settlers, the town of Lake Waccamaw was incorporated in 1911. Agriculture, hunting, fishing, lumber, and the railroad were industries that developed around the lake2. The lake feeds the Waccamaw River which flows into Winyah Bay near Georgetown, South Carolina.

Demographics

In 2017, the town’s population was estimated to be 1,583. The median age was 50.9 with an average income of $50,345. With 1,015 housing units, the median housing value was $252,900. Over 78% of the population had broadband internet service and 83% had a high school diploma or higher in 20173.

The figures in Table 1 show the summary demographics of the 3-mile Primary Trade Area (PTA) that includes and extends beyond the corporate limits of Lake Waccamaw. In 2018, the town’s average household income and disposable income levels were higher than in Columbus County and on par with the state and national levels.

In that same 3-mile PTA, the majority of the population was 45 to 74 years of age in 2018. By 2023, the population will continue to age with a shift to those 55 to 84 years of age (Figure 1). Pop

Figure 1: Population by Age – 3 Mile Radius of Lake Waccamaw5

ulation by Age – 3

Mile Radius of Lake Waccam

2 Town of Lake Waccamaw: http://lakewaccamaw.com/?page_id=37 3 US Census American Fact Finder: https://www.census.gov/search-results.html?q=Lake+Waccamaw+town%2C+NC&page=1&stateGeo=none&searchtype=web&cssp=Typeahead 4 NC Department of Commerce ESRI Business Analyst 2018 5 NC Department of Commerce ESRI Business Analyst 2018

Table 1: Summary Demographics – 3 Mile Radius of Lake Waccamaw4

3 Mile Radius

Columbus County

North Carolina United States

Population 1,803 43,825 10,455,604 330,088,686 2018 Households 686 17,508 1,138,416 62,842,375 2018 Average Household Income $79,850 $50,995 $72,420 $83,695 2018 Average Disposable Income $60,793 $41,693 $61,462 $59,396

http://lakewaccamaw.com/?page_id=37




The Employment Status in Table 2 estimates the number of people in Lake Waccamaw available for work. The Labor Force Participation estimate refers to the number of people available for work as a percentage of Lake Waccamaw’s total population.

The Educational Attainment estimate in Table 3 refers to levels of education attained by the number of people available for work as a percentage of Lake Waccamaw’s total population in 2017. Over 44% of the population had a high school degree or some college and nearly 20% had a bachelor’s degree.

6 US Census, 2009-2017 American Community Survey Estimates 7 US Census, 2012-2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

Table 2: Employment Status (Lake Waccamaw) (2017)6

Total Labor Force Participation Rate Estimate Estimate AGE 16 to 19 years 116 7% 20 to 24 years 47 57% 25 to 29 years 77 32% 30 to 34 years 37 73% 35 to 44 years 134 86% 45 to 54 years 152 77% 55 to 59 years 94 61% 60 to 64 years 118 33% 65 to 74 years 216 21% 74 and over 293 3%

Total Population Estimate % of Population

Lake Waccamaw Population 25 years and over (X) Less than 9th grade 73 6.5% 9th to 12th grade, no diploma 118 10.5% High school graduate (includes equivalency) 251 22.4% Some college, no degree 248 22.1% Associate's degree 111 9.9% Bachelor's degree 194 17.3% Graduate or professional degree 126 11.2%

Table 3: Educational Attainment (Lake Waccamaw) (2017)7



Table 4 shows the primary job location (in 2015) to where Lake Waccamaw residents commute. The table is based on 509 primary jobs.

In 2015, there was a count of 507 people employed in primary jobs who lived in the town of Lake Waccamaw. In Figure 2, the town had an almost equal ebb and flow of those leaving and coming in to town for work in 2015. There were 57 people who actually lived and worked in the town. Figure 2: Places Where Lake Waccamaw Residents Work (2015)9

8 US Census On the Map (www.onthemap.ces.census.gov) 9 US Census On the Map (www.onthemap.ces.census.gov)

Table 4: Places Where Lake Waccamaw Residents Work (2015)8 Primary Employment Place Job Share All Places (Cities, CDPs, etc.) 100.00%

Lake Waccamaw, NC 11.2%

Whiteville, NC 5.1%

Wilmington, NC 4.5%

Bolton, NC 2.0%

Chadbourn, NC 1.4%

Charlotte, NC 1.4%

Leland, NC 1.2%

Conway, SC 1.0%

Murraysville, NC 0.80%

Sandyfield, NC 0.80%

All Other Locations 70.6%





Community Assessment In January 2019, a community assessment workshop was held at Lake Waccamaw Town Hall. Over 30 town citizens and business owners attended the half day event. Participants participated in a Strengths/Weaknesses/Opportunities/Threat (SWOT) analysis of the town. The group also completed asset identification around economic, cultural, institutional, natural, community and human and governmental assets. The results are listed in charts below. It was clear that the small-town atmosphere is treasured by the people who live in Lake Waccamaw. Community assets such as the library, the Depot Museum, volunteers and festivals were noted. The lake and the Boys and Girls Home were cited as both strengths and assets that make Lake Waccamaw what it is. The community, however, is very aware of the challenges to keep and maintain quality of life. Natural disasters, such as Hurricane Florence, has shown the vulnerability of the lake and those that live around the lake. The workshop participants also noted that people have moved elsewhere for employment. Participants said the delicate balance between no growth and too much growth needs to be maintained to keep the charm of Lake Waccamaw. The charts below outline the SWOT analysis and the asset identification. SWOT Analysis

Strengths Weaknesses Maintain quiet place to live with quality recreation for existing and new residents

Perception by some factions that town need industry

I-74 Highway – Future interchange improvements with signs identifying available services Development of I74 corridor

The Lake, river, swamps, wetlands, forest Seasonal

State Park, game lands, trail at dawn Limited workforce – people that live here are not in the workforce

Little growth Low population Boat landings Lack of visitor accommodations

Lack of commercial development Lack of population (critical mass) to support new commercial development

Restrictive zoning is appropriate Being susceptible to natural disasters – flooding/flood plain

Within commuting distance to public transportation, health care Vulnerability of the lake (hydrilla, etc)

Several buildings and businesses that could be repurposed: e.g. Dupree Landing No Bank

Nursing home Lack of: Bike paths, RR, sidewalks, park Cost of living Lack of fitness center Limited footprint of Town Lack of enforcement of nuisance orders Service stations Businesses aren’t growing Tax base ECHS Boys and Girls Home Best and brightest kids don’t come back Volunteers Apathetic citizenry Churches – partnership with community Lack of destination or anchor businesses Active people in Town



Town governments- town manager, dept heads Logging and farming New homes Schools Gardens Positive reputation Water and sewer capacity Exhibition Center Grocery store Dollar General Pharmacy Transportation 5 Restaurants 3 Gas stations Hill Plaza Shopping Center Tobacco

Opportunities Threats Encourage small business development Large franchise business development

Appropriate development of Dupree Landing Losing our federal/state governmental support due to other competitive projects

Event Development State park funding cuts Festivals, shows, educational events People are resistant to change Further development for use and enjoyment of natural resources Whiteville/Wilmington/Leland

Walking trails/bike trails Lack of jobs, young people leaving for employment Development of health and wellness activities and events Environmental - Hurricanes/flooding

Tourism Lack of jobs Eco-tourism should be targeted for economic development e.g. hunting, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, birding

Vulnerability of the lake – hydrilla, other water quality issues, runoff, erosion, invasive plants, carp and catfish

Connect of environmental strengths Use of roundup and chemicals near water Infrastructure improvement “excessive”?? population growth Partner with natural Science Museum e.g. eco-education Disruptive industry

I-74 Highway I74 – move traffic fast/bypass

Boat repair and sales, marine services Development of “disruptive” activities – gun range, ATV park

Niche retail Balancing growth – between 0 and a lot Proximity to coast Large franchise business development Wal-Mart, Lowe’s People moving elsewhere for employment



Asset Identification

Economic Cultural Top Tobacco Depot Museum/Social Center Council Tool State Park – Natural History 5 restaurants Boys and Girls Home and Arena Grocery Store Friday Night Pier-fest Several retail shops Christmas parade Apartment complex J. McNeils Pier and House

Several nice neighborhoods Lake Waccamaw Fire Dept hot dog sales/fundraiser- 4th of July

Hwy 74/76 Music Jam Monthly (Depot) Hwy 214 Farm Days at Boys and Girls Home Canal Cove Boys and Girls Home Rodeo Lakeshore Drive Horse Show – Boys and Girls Home Retail: e.g. gun store, Hills, Dollar Store, antiques, B&G Second Hand Store, Smith Auto service, drug store, ABC store, grocery store, convenience stores, service stations, Hills Plaza

Take the Lake event

Restaurants (5): e.g. Dales Seafood Restaurant Sailing Club – sailing competitions Columbus Regional Healthcare System Town Park Industrial: e.g. Top Tobacco, Council Tool Co. Boys and Girls Club Arena International Paper Ambassador Camp Pierce and Co. Anchorage Camp Gracie’s Churches Roads: Highway 74-76 and future I-74, Highway 214 4th of July

RJ Corman railroad Lake State Park, Elizabeth Brinkley Park, camping Country Store Local accommodations Waccamaw Siouan Non-profit organizations; e.g. Boys and Girls Homes - large employer, youth and family camp, Thomas Academy

Lake Waccamaw Depot Museum

The Lake Rube McCray Library

Premier living Events: Take the Lake, Farm Days, local traditions – McNeills Pier, Christmas Parade, Indian Heritage Days

Public housing Repurposed buildings; depot and anchorage Residential Nursing home Institutional housing Depot Museum Forestry, logging Farming e.g. soybeans, corn Available land: commercial Dupree Landing, old federal paper property, Pickett’s Point

Proximity to Southeastern Community College in Whiteville-Chadbourn

Proximity to beaches, Wilmington, ILM Airport



Institutional Natural High School Lake Waccamaw Boys and Girls Home School Pond at Park Camps – Ambassador and Anchorage Ball fields at park Churches 2 boat access points Library Fishing tournaments East Columbus High School Take the Lake Hallsboro Middle School Campgrounds Hallsboro-Artesia Elementary School Gamelands – NC WRC

Churches; approximately six, e.g. Protestant Lake Waccamaw; outstanding resource water, potential or eco-tourism

Boys and Girls Home and Charter School; 100 students; BGH School – Thomas Academy

State Park, camping, picnicking – primitive and commercial, walking, swimming, boating, education, 2000 acres in conservation, scenic bridge, Elizabeth Brinkley Park expansion – multi-purpose recreation

Camps for retreats Fishing e.g. bass tournament Clinic Waccamaw River, Big Creek Rest home and nursing home Gamelands Quiet place Town Park Conservancy property 6th best small town of a lake in the U.S. Mountains to Coast Sea trail EB Park – tennis, ballpark, walking trail Sailing Club Free boating access – two locations Summer camps Alligator attraction

Citizen science projects associated with CCU and UNC

Bird watching Boys and Girls Home horse complex Hunting



Community and Human Assets Governmental Quality of life – volunteers and experts and skilled residents – diverse skill set Town council

Lions Club Mayor Lake Waccamaw Food Ministry US Post Office Water monitoring teams State Park Clinic/Medical Center Town police Ad hoc advocacy groups – ie Friends of the Green Swamp Good tax base – residential

Bridge Club/Rummicate/Bird Club/Book Club/Music Jam – variety of groups Grants

Non-elected leadership – people willing to step up and organize Good police force

High degree of volunteerism Good leadership and support from commissioners

Rotary Club Lake is perceived to have value by state and federal officials

Premiere Living Rehab Center – assisted/nursing facility

We have good interaction with all federal, state, county and town agencies

Friends of the Library – Rube M McCray Library

Full Service Town: Police, Fire, Water and sewer Planning Board, Professional Administration

Women’s Club Strong inter-governmental relations Pharmacy Infrastructure Youth sports Library Dr. office/medical center/Urgent Care Park Boys and Girls Home Counseling Museum Fire Dept NC Wildlife Resource Commission “Small town is a big deal” Natural Resources Boys and Girls Club; including foster care

Average age higher than surrounding community Numerous church camps Food banks A lot of retired businesses leaders who live here part and full time

Boy Scouts Basketball Skating Clinic Independent living Pharmacy Aging population over 50 Volunteer: TTL, Museum, B&GC, Guardian Ad Litem (children’s aide social services; advocacy)

Quality of life – excellent, everybody knows everybody



Primary Trade Area

The circles in Map 1 (below) show Lake Waccamaw’s 1, 2, and 3-mile Primary Trade Area (PTA) from town hall which extends beyond its corporate limits.

Map 1: 1-3-Mile Radii of Lake Waccamaw

,




The data in Table 5 shows the Retail Leakage from the 1-mile Primary Trade Area of Lake Waccamaw. This information shows potential business and job opportunities in Lake Waccamaw.


Retail Surplus means the community’s trade area is capturing the local market plus attracting non-local shoppers. Surplus doesn’t necessarily imply that the community can’t support additional

businesses, but rather the community has possibly developed strong clusters of retail including eating and drinking establishments that have broad geographical appeal. (Surplus is shown as a negative value in red when reviewing the ESRI data.)

In a 1-mile radius of Lake Waccamaw, the top industries are Retail Food and Trade, Retail Trade and Food and Drink seen in Table 5. In 2017, these industries exceeded demand which shows that the town’s restaurants and retail businesses draw customers to the town.

Table 5: Lake Waccamaw Industry Summary: 1-Mile Radius (2017)10

Demand Supply Retail Gap Number of 2017 Industry Summary (Retail Potential) (Retail Sales) Businesses

Total Retail Trade and Food & Drink $5,963,565 $8,272,181 -$2,308,616 7 Total Retail Trade $5,427,622 $7,290,399 -$1,862,777 4 Total Food & Drink $535,944 $981,782 -$445,838 4

10 NC Department of Commerce Business Analyst



Table 6 shows that there is no real new business potential in Lake Waccamaw in the major industry categories. Since the demand for these major industries is so low, it is not feasible for a new business to open. There is, however, retail potential to expand existing businesses in the town.

Table 6: Lake Waccamaw Retail Gaps 1-Mile Radius(2017)11

Data Note: Supply (retail sales) estimates sales to consumers by establishments. Sales to businesses are excluded. Demand (retail potential) estimates the expected amount spent by consumers at retail establishments. Supply and demand estimates are in current dollars. The Leakage/Surplus Factor presents a snapshot of retail opportunity. This is a measure of the relationship between supply and demand that ranges from +100 (total leakage) to -100 (total surplus). A positive value represents 'leakage' of retail opportunity outside the trade area. A negative value represents a surplus of retail sales, a market where customers are drawn in from outside the trade area. The Retail Gap represents the difference between Retail Potential and Retail Sales. Esri uses the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) to classify businesses by their primary type of economic activity. Retail establishments are classified into 27 industry groups in the Retail Trade sector, as well as four industry groups within the Food Services & Drinking Establishments subsector. For more information on the Retail MarketPlace data, please click the link below to view the Methodology Statement. http://www.esri.com/library/whitepapers/pdfs/esri-data-retail-marketplace.pdf In further analysis of the industry categories, Table 7 lists the top four groups that have demand for expansion opportunities. These businesses revolve around building equipment, garden supplies, food and alcoholic beverages. These present opportunities for current Lake Waccamaw businesses to expand to meet these demands. The town has the workforce available for these businesses as seen in Table 4 and has the disposable income to support these business expansions which was referenced in Table 1. Table 7: Lake Waccamaw Leakage 1-Mile Radius(2017)12

11 NC Department of Commerce Business Analyst 12 NC Department of Commerce Business Analyst

2017 Industry Group NAICS

Demand (Retail Potential)

Supply (Retail Sales) Retail Gap

Leakage/Surplus Factor Number of Businesses

Motor Vehicle and Parts 441 $1,207,691 $0 $1,207,691 100 0Furniture and Home Furnishings Stores 442 $196,159 $0 $196,159 100 0Building Materials, Garden Equipment and Supply Stores 444 $406,438 $0 $408,438 100 0Food and Beverage Stores 445 $932,804 $3,336,829 $2,404,025 -56.3 1Health and Personal Care Stores 446 $358,966 $626,581 $267,615 -27.2 1Gasoline Stations 447 $593,556 $2,449,595 $1,856,039 -61 1Clothing and Clothing Assessories Stores 448 $234,760 $0 $234,760 100 0Sporting Goods, Hobby, Book and Music Stores 451 $136,308 $376,722 $240,414 -46.9 1General Merchandise Stores 452 $865,389 $397,318 $468,071 37.1 1Miscellaneous Store Retailers 453 $245,136 $0 $245,136 100 0Non Store Retailers 454 $97,946 $0 $97,946 100 0Food Services and Drinking Places 722 $535,944 $981,782 $445,838 -29.4 4

NAICS Demand Supply Retail Gap Leakage/Surplus Number of2017 Industry Group (Retail Potential) (Retail Sales) Factor BusinessesBldg Materials, Garden Equip. & Supply Stores 444 408,438$ $0 408,438$ 100 0Specialty Food Stores 4452 33,868$ $0 33,868$ 100 0Special Food Services 7223 4,998$ $0 4,998$ 100 0Drinking Places - Alcoholic Beverages 7224 35,694$ $0 35,694$ 100 0



Since Lake Waccamaw is the greatest asset for the community, businesses around the lake associated with ecotourism could be expanded and developed. Ecotourism was identified as an opportunity in the SWOT and asset analysis completed in January 2019. Ecotourism allows tourists to explore and appreciate the natural environment through low impact activities with conservation considered for the area. The state park, boat ramps and game lands located around the lake are venues that could provide opportunities for canoe/kayak businesses, guide services, bird watching tours, hiking tours. Within the town and outside of town, expenditures on goods and services related to recreation offer a great opportunity. Table 8 outlines retail goods and services expenditures in recreational activities for 2018 in the Lake Waccamaw region.

Table 8: Lake Waccamaw Expenditures 1-Mile Radius(2017)13 2018 Retail Goods and Services Expenditures

5 Minute

Drive 15 Minute

Drive 20 Minute

Drive Recreational Vehicles and Fees $37,471 $291,197 $499,408

Sports, Recreation and Exercise Equipment $49,109 $339,691 $601,303.00 Total $86,580 $630,888 $1,100,711

Within a 5-minute drive of Lake Waccamaw’s Town Hall, there were 306 households in 2018. Those households spent $37,471 on recreational vehicles and fees, which included docking and landing fees for boats as well as payment on boats, trailers, campers and RVs. These households also spent $49,109 on Sports/Recreation/Exercise Equipment. This category included $17,136 spent on hunting and fishing equipment.

Within a 15-minute Drive, there were 2,930 households that spent over $630,888 total on recreational vehicle and fees and sport equipment. This included $189,320 in payments for boats/trailers/campers/RVs. These households spent at total of $125,618 on hunting and fishing equipment and almost $12,000 on water sports equipment in 2018.

13 NC Department of Commerce Business Analyst



Within a 20-minute drive of town hall, there were 5,772 households that spent over $1.1 million on recreational vehicles and fees and sports equipment. In those categories, over $80,000 was spent on camp fees and $63,707 was spent on rental of RVs or boats. These households spent almost $320,000 on payments for boats/trailers/campers/RVs.

According to the Outdoor Industry Association, 56% of North Carolinians took part in some outdoor activity in 2012. North Carolinians hunted and fished more than the average American. These citizens spent $28 billion on outdoor activities – more than they did on financial services and insurance ($24.9 billion). This industry generated 260,000 direct jobs in 201214.

The state’s tourism office, VisitNC, reported that in 2017, Columbus County had $56.20 million in visitor expenditures in tourism. This brought over $7 million in payroll and brought in $1.56 million in local tax receipts. Despite a 10.29% drop in 2009, the county has had an average of 2.29% increase in expenditures since then (Table 9).

Table 9: VisitNC: Columbus County Impact of Visitor Spending (2017)15

Year Expenditures $(millions)

Change from

previous Payroll

$(millions) Employment (thousands)

State Tax Receipts

$(millions)

Local Tax Receipts

$(millions)

Tax Savings

Per Resident

2017 $56.20 5.03% $7.21 0.31 $3.25 $1.56 $84.44 2016 $53.52 1.95% $6.59 0.30 $3.12 $1.46 $80.24 2015 $52.49 2.83% $6.43 0.30 $3.04 $1.43 $78.18 2014 $51.05 2.93% $6.00 0.29 $2.85 $1.38 $73.34 2013 $49.59 3.56% $5.77 0.29 $2.78 $1.32 $70.88 2012 $47.89 3.80% $5.53 0.28 $2.67 $1.27 $68.09 2011 $46.13 8.62% $5.40 0.28 $2.61 $1.26 $67.06 2010 $42.47 -0.09% $5.22 0.27 $2.60 $1.24 $65.97 2009 $42.51 -10.29% $5.55 0.30 $2.52 $1.26 $67.14 2008 $47.29 4.59% $5.99 0.31 $2.60 $1.39 $72.87 2007 $45.22 8.34% $5.65 0.31 $2.46 $1.32 $69.94

The opportunity to provide services and goods for these categories that are strongly linked to the lake exists. This can be done through existing businesses with expansion. Lake Waccamaw does have the disposable income to spend on these categories.

14 Outdoor Industry: https://outdoorindustry.org/state/north-carolina/ 15 VisitNC: https://partners.visitnc.com/economic-impact-studies

https://outdoorindustry.org/state/north-carolina/

https://partners.visitnc.com/economic-impact-studies



Recommended Action Plan/Timeline

The following is a recommended general framework Action Plan with objectives, actions, and time-frame. This framework will require further effort and consideration by the Town to develop and further achieve the objectives and actions.

Objective Action

1. Diversify economic base by supporting expansion of existing businesses

A. Create Lake Waccamaw committee to spearhead expansion opportunities in the town

a. Focus on potential expansion areas around food and drink as well as building and garden supplies

b. Partner with Lake Waccamaw State Park and North Carolina Wildlife Resources to identify potential ecotourism opportunities

B. Coordinate with Columbus County Economic

Development Commission to work with existing businesses on expansion

2. Ensure Lake Waccamaw maintains its small-town atmosphere through strategic planning for the future

A. Create new Comprehensive Land Use Plan to secure sound management of commercial and residential development within the town’s ETJ

B. Focus on redevelopment of Highway 74 on/off ramp to make sure compatible development occurs in that area.

C. Conduct a Gateway study for entrance to the town to

welcome visitors and project the appropriate image of the town


Section 5. Appendix Contents

A. Acknowledgements

B. List of Funding Resources

C. Hurricane Matthew Resilient Redevelopment Plan (Columbus County) (May 2017)


Columbus County Economic Development Commission

Section 5. Appendix A - Acknowledgements

The following individuals and organizations have provided various forms of assistance in the development of this plan:

Columbus County

• Gary Lanier, Director, Columbus County Economic Development Commission

• Columbus County Economic Development Commission Board of Directors

• Columbus County Board of Commissioners

• Towns of:

o Bolton, Chadbourn, Fair Bluff, Lake Waccamaw, Tabor City, Whiteville

NC Department of Commerce

• NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center

o Bruce Naegelen, Community Economic Development Planner, North Central

Prosperity Zone – Project Manager

o Lee Padrick, Community Economic Development Planner, Northeast Prosperity Zone

o Grace Lawrence, Community Economic Development Planner, Sandhills (South

Central) Prosperity Zone

o Mark Zeigler, Community Planner, Wilmington Region

• NC Labor & Economic Analysis Department (LEAD)


Columbus County Economic Development Commission

Section 5. Appendix B - List of Funding Resources The following is a list of the funding sources resources cited throughout this document.

A. Federal Resources a. US Economic Development Administration

https://www.eda.gov/funding-opportunities/

B. Regional a. Southeastern Economic Development Commission

http://www.sedcnc.org/

C. State of North Carolina a. Economic Development Partnership of NC (EDPNC) https://edpnc.com/

b. NC Department of Commerce https://www.nccommerce.com/

i. Economic Infrastructure Program https://www.nccommerce.com/rd/rural-grants-programs/economic-infrastructure

ii. Building Reuse https://www.nccommerce.com/rd/rural-grants-programs/building-reuse

iii. Building Demolition https://www.nccommerce.com/rd/rural-grants-programs/building-demolition

iv. Community Development Block Grant Economic Development https://www.nccommerce.com/ruraldevelopment/state-cdbg/grant-categories

c. Southeast Community College

i. NCWorks Customized Training Program http://sccnc.edu/continuing-education/continuing-education-programs-services/

d. NC Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ)

https://deq.nc.gov/outreach/grants

D. Golden LEAF Foundation https://www.goldenleaf.org/

E. Other Resources a. NC State Historic Preservation Office (NC Department of Cultural Resources)

http://www.hpo.ncdcr.gov/

https://www.eda.gov/funding-opportunities/

http://www.sedcnc.org/

https://edpnc.com/

https://www.nccommerce.com/

https://www.nccommerce.com/rd/rural-grants-programs/economic-infrastructure

https://www.nccommerce.com/rd/rural-grants-programs/building-reuse

https://www.nccommerce.com/rd/rural-grants-programs/building-demolition

https://www.nccommerce.com/ruraldevelopment/state-cdbg/grant-categories

http://sccnc.edu/continuing-education/continuing-education-programs-services/

https://deq.nc.gov/outreach/grants

https://www.goldenleaf.org/

http://www.hpo.ncdcr.gov/

Documents

Job Creation Plan · North Carolina Department of Commerce . Rural Economic Division . NC Main Street and Rural Planning Center . Job Creation Plan for Distressed Communities in Columbus