City of Elizabethtown Shuts Down Growth of Bladen County and BBAI –

From: County of Bladen
State of North Carolina

(BLADEN COUNTY PRESS RELEASE)

In 2002, a group of community business leaders founded Bladen’s Bloomin’ Agri-Industrial, Inc. (BBAI), a private, nonprofit corporation to help create and expand industry and commerce. Its mission is to “stimulate Bladen County’s economy by creating new jobs, tax bases, agricultural opportunities and entrepreneurial opportunities.”

Since BBAI’s inception, twenty-nine (29) multi-million dollar projects have been completed. Two (2) additional projects, a daycare center and the Westwood facility, are currently under construction. The Cape Fear Valley Medical facility received its certificate of occupancy just last week and its official opening is still awaiting the City of Elizabethtown to utilize EDA grants to install needed roads and infrastructure. These new facilities will be in addition to the nine (9) projects already completed in the Elizabethtown Industrial Park, an industrial park that was vacant until the County of Bladen and BBAI became involved. These projects would provide much-needed jobs, daycare and health services to Elizabethtown and County residents.

Additionally, dozens of local businesses in all corners of Bladen County have received start-up and/or expansion loans from BBAI. The partnership between BBAI and Bladen County has created over a thousand jobs. The partnership between Bladen County and BBAI is a great success for Bladen County and for the City of Elizabethtown.

The Elizabethtown Industrial Park has been the epicenter of this success and it is here that Bladen County and BBAI have invested most of their time and attention in the companies and industries that call Bladen County “home.” If industries are interested in locating in Bladen County, this partnership between Bladen County and BBAI will aggressively market and invest in the Elizabethtown Industrial Park. Bladen County and BBAI have always worked closely with the City of Elizabethtown on this endeavor.

The partnership between the City of Elizabethtown and Bladen County has always extended beyond the industrial park. Bladen County has consistently supported the City of Elizabethtown with the funds it needs and has never denied its requests. Bladen County donated $100,000 to Elizabethtown to light the Cape Fear River Bridge; agreed to pay Elizabethtown half of the light bill for the Highway 87 underpass each month; paid Elizabethtown $550,000.00 to rehabilitate the runway and aprons at Elizabethtown Airport; paid Elizabethtown $68,000.00 to receive a Safe Streets grant and paid Elizabethtown $100,000.00 for the Live, Work, and Play community startup design. Bladen County has donated $818,000.00 to the City of Elizabethtown over the past two (2) years. Until recently it was always like that.

In preparation for the county’s 2022-2032 strategic planning, the county began exploring the idea of ​​developing 33 acres of the Elizabethtown Industrial Park for a “live, work, play” community. Finally, one of Bladen County’s goals is to “leverage innovative techniques along with collaborative partnerships to strengthen the infrastructure necessary for sustainable industrial, commercial and residential growth.” The “Live, Work, Play” community was to be a project that would be a collaborative effort between the City of Elizabethtown, Bladen County and BBAI, and it was also to be the largest project to date.

Phase one of the Live, Work, Play community was originally intended to include at least seven (7) commercial facilities and a 5,000 person amphitheater. The county has always wanted the “live” portion of the community to be developed so that approximately one hundred quality homes could be built and sold to Bladen County residents. This design concept was first noticed by the city of Elizabethtown. However, that changed when the city decided to partner with an out-of-town developer and architect and essentially give that developer control of the “live, work, play” community for the next 99 years.

Now the city of Elizabethtown has informed the county that its latest version of the “live, work, play” community consists of 300 to 500 rental homes and a much smaller commercial area, tying up half of the available land for industrial growth. These homes are no longer available for Bladen County residents to purchase and own a piece of the American Dream. Instead, they are rented out and ultimately fill a landlord’s coffers. This was never the goal of the Live, Work, Play community. The City of Elizabethtown’s model is flawed for all but the city’s private partners. Bladen County is refusing to provide funding to the City of Elizabethtown because we believe this agreement is not in the best interest of the citizens of our county and is seriously flawed.

Bladen County has repeatedly asked the city administration and mayor to sit down with us and clarify our issues. Bladen County’s attempts were completely ignored by the City of Elizabethtown and all future communications will now be routed through their City Attorney.

Instead of sitting down and working with Bladen County and BBAI to find a more reasonable alternative, the City of Elizabethtown has barred the County from any further investment in the Elizabethtown Industrial Park. We were informed in September of their decision that the Elizabethtown Industrial Park would no longer be available for investment by the County of Bladen and BBAI.

The Elizabethtown Industrial Park is the only industrial park in Bladen County to have water and wastewater infrastructure. Without Bladen County’s financial support and BBAI’s expertise, this will undoubtedly result in a great loss to the current and future citizens of Bladen County and Elizabethtown.

Bladen County Commissioners are saddened that a press release has occurred between these organizations. However, it is important that our citizens understand the status of these matters and take action to encourage all parties to do what is best for the citizens of Elizabethtown and Bladen County.

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