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You're starting to sound like folks in Georgia last year that complained after landing a big EV development. It had gotten so bad that the state had to step in and take over.
I don't think it is unreasonable to worry. Our traffic is already really bad now prior to this factory being built. We have been waiting for improvements to our roads around Blythewood for a while now.
Sure great there will be new mid level manufacturing jobs being brought to the area. A promise of 4,000 new jobs. Nothing is guaranteed except there are huge amounts of taxes being spent here.
I don't think it is unreasonable to worry. Our traffic is already really bad now prior to this factory being built. We have been waiting for improvements to our roads around Blythewood for a while now.
And now you're getting them:
"The $1.291 billion state incentive package includes building a railway bridge over Interstate 77 to the Blythewood industrial park site, building a new I-77 interchange to serve the eventual factory, additional road improvements, electrical work, water and sewer infrastructure, and stabilizing the soil on the site, state officials said Monday, three days after the landmark project was announced."
Sure great there will be new mid level manufacturing jobs being brought to the area. A promise of 4,000 new jobs. Nothing is guaranteed except there are huge amounts of taxes being spent here.
Yes, tax money being spent up front on traffic improvements and road construction which you've admitted are needed. Right up the road in Rock Hill, although the Panthers HQ complex fell through, that's not stopping the road/traffic construction and improvements which continue.
I don't think it is unreasonable to worry. Our traffic is already really bad now prior to this factory being built. We have been waiting for improvements to our roads around Blythewood for a while now.
Sure great there will be new mid level manufacturing jobs being brought to the area. A promise of 4,000 new jobs. Nothing is guaranteed except there are huge amounts of taxes being spent here.
Also, I’ll have to find the specific article, but there is a clause that VW will have to repay $800+ million if they do not meet their end of the deal.
Also, I’ll have to find the specific article, but there is a clause that VW will have to repay $800+ million if they do not meet their end of the deal.
Better than a lot of deals I have read where the companies don't have to pay anything if they bail on the plan.
I am hopeful that our home values will go up and we will get better retail/food options in the area.
I imagine we could also get lots of Car Chargers in Blythewood.
I personally would love an EV like the Scout seems to be. Hopefully it isn't Hummer level pricing.
Better than a lot of deals I have read where the companies don't have to pay anything if they bail on the plan.
I am hopeful that our home values will go up and we will get better retail/food options in the area.
I imagine we could also get lots of Car Chargers in Blythewood.
I personally would love an EV like the Scout seems to be. Hopefully it isn't Hummer level pricing.
Definitely ideal for this type of incentive package and as noted earlier it seems there will be some improvement to infrastructure that will benefits residents as well.
I’m thinking they will definitely want to put more EV chargers in the area. I’m hoping they’re a good corporate citizen in general and reinvest in the community.
From the state newspaper article:
Volkswagen has promised to pay back up to $790 million to the state if it doesn’t meet or maintain certain job and investment commitments, the commerce department said.
Lightsey conceded the amount he requested is “a lot of money.”
“We think the commitment of the largest automobile manufacturer in the world and the seventh-largest company in the world to making this project a success is a commitment that we can take to the bank for our state,” Lightsey said.
Better than a lot of deals I have read where the companies don't have to pay anything if they bail on the plan.
Practically all incentives packages these days have clawback provisions in place that roll incentives back if job projections aren't realized. States are also front-loading incentives less these days so that there will be less to recoup if the deal falls through or the anticipated number of jobs fall short. For this deal, it looks Ike it's just the infrastructure-related incentives that are front-loaded which is reasonable.
I linked to the article in The State that gave details about the incentives package in my previous post.
The eventual economic impact will be significant for SC in general, and over into NC, when supply chains are put in place. The region in general is now an automotive hub, rivaling the KY, OH, IN, etc., auto hub, which serves not only automakers based overseas, but U.S.-based automakers.
The infrastructure investment alone in Richland county alone is a huge win.
Additional impacts for the economy, to include logistics/transport, will spread far from the plant in Blythewood
Far as wages are concerned, I can guarantee there was pushback from certain powers-that-be and some companies there in Columbia. If anything, it will help stabilize and grow manufacturing wages around there. I remember how bad things were for manufacturing folks there 15 years ago, the transformation within manufacturing in Richland County has been borderline remarkable. In an area where government, contractor, insurance, and to some degree banking jobs rule the roost, I'm glad to see yet another metro SC economy diversify and grow.
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