Economy
“Pay in Laurens is rising faster than anywhere in the Upstate…” (Post & Courier). See also, “Bolstered by the regional powerhouse that is the Upstate’s automotive sector, around 50 percent of Laurens County’s manufacturing production is related to this industry.” (Greenville Business Magazine)
For the past 10 years SC has set records for exports – $41.5 billion last year. Two big exports – tires and passenger motor vehicles. (Midlands Biz, H/T GVL Today)
Teamwork in the Upstate…”The basis of Union County’s approach to workforce development comes down to three important things: location, location, location. Positioned to not only recruit workers from five nearby counties in the Upstate, Union also attracts talent from the Columbia area, as well as Charlotte. Working together with neighboring counties such as Spartanburg and Greenville to share resources and training opportunities has allowed Union to align training programs with real work opportunities and establish a pipeline of skilled workers for local industries.” (Greenville Business Magazine)
Real Estate
“Over the last 12 months in downtown Greenville and downtown Spartanburg, vacancy rates increased and asking rents also increased, which may seem counterintuitive. A deeper dive reveals many of the new mixed-use projects in the CBD take a long time to develop and the retail spaces typically lease up after the major anchor (hotel, apartments, office) is open.” (Upstate Business Journal)
Industrial sites continue to be built (and filled) in Charleston – bringing the total to 57.2 million square feet of warehouse space. (Post & Courier)
Food & Entertainment
Spartanburg was named one of the 25 coolest towns in American. (Matador Network, H/T GVL Today)
Parks & Rec
$27 million has been secured to help clear Camp Croft of leftover munitions. (GoUpstate)
Travel
Charleston added more than 900 hotel rooms in 2019 and set a record for the number of stays. (Post & Courier)