The Upstate
Not just passing through anymore – tourists spent a record $278 million in Spartanburg County last year, up almost $90 million from five years ago. Also, hotel room growth is up 23% in the last two years. (Post and Courier)
A guide to Greenville, complete with event calendar (p 70). I’ll bet you find something in this guide you didn’t know about. I liked the Gateway Walks, starting on page 84 – clever way to showcase the city. (Community Journals via Issuu)
Is there still hope for the Bass Pro Shop in Greer? (Greenville News)
New solar projects planned in Spartanburg county. (Greenville Business Magazine)
BMW begins building the new X7 at the Spartanburg plant. (UBJ)
Below the radar…Mid-size companies are a significant part of the state’s economy. (Greenville Business Magazine)
Back story to the GVL’s County Square Development Team. (UBJ)
Greenville Business Magazine lists 50 influential people from the region. (GBM)
Passenger and Cargo traffic continues to rise at GSP International Airport. (UBJ)
Spartanburg Regional buys Mary Black. (GSA Business Report)
A survey shows 75% of downtown Spartanburg businesses reported increased revenues over the past 3 years. (WSPA)
The State
Alarming…
“Since 2008, South Carolina saw its total student loan debt increase by 315%, growing from $5.5 billion to $23 billion.” (Experian) H/T GVL Today Newsletter
The State Ports Authority enjoyed its third consecutive year of record containerized cargo growth in 2018 – 6.8 percent (Post and Courier) Also, it is considering a plan to use barges to move containers. (Post and Courier)
See also, BMW may ship partially assembled cars in containers to South Africa, China and Thailand. (Post and Courier)
C&M Hog Farm opens a transload facility at Inland Port Dillon…a good example of how the inland port system could support state agriculture. (Progressive Rail Roading)
Automotive gets a lot of attention, but Aerospace is a big hitter too – adding $14.1 billion to the state’s GDP. (Greenville Business Magazine)
The Bigger Picture
How to fund Land Banks (ShelterForce)
Wearables appear to be catching on. Apple reported 50% year-over-year growth in these types of devices, driven by the popularity of the Apple Watch and AirPods among holiday shoppers. (Apple)
Thanks for reading!