Interest in economic development projects in Brunswick County is on the upswing, according to officials talking with potential new, large employers.
 
“We have 13 projects we’re going after and [pursuing] grants all over the place going after these projects. We’ve had more projects than we’ve ever had,” Jim Bradshaw, executive director of the Brunswick County Economic Development Commission, said Friday.
 
Bradshaw received a boost this week to help him compete for one of those 13 projects when state transportation officials approved money for rail improvements to help attract a manufacturer to Brunswick County.
 
The N.C. Department of Transportation’s rail division had requested money to help pay for costs of building industrial rail access if a company dubbed “Project Diamond” moves into the area.
 
The unnamed company is considering building a facility in Brunswick County, according to meeting documents for Wednesday’s state Board of Transportation meeting.
 
“The company proposes to hire more than 1,000 new employees and make a capital investment of at least $35 million,” the meeting document stated. “They anticipate receiving at least 1,500 carloads of rail freight per year and require rail access in order to choose the Brunswick County site for the facility.”
 
Wilmington attorney Michael Lee, who represents Brunswick County on the state transportation board, said Friday that the group approved the $200,000 request.
 
He said he could not give more detail about the company. Until a project is announced or a company decides to locate elsewhere, company information about an economic development prospect are exempt from the state’s open records law.
 
“I’m always excited about jobs, but there’s nothing I can really talk about on this one,” Lee said.
 
Despite the state transportation board’s funding approval, Bradshaw cautioned that project was far from a done deal.
 
“They’re not going to make a decision for months,” he said about the prospective company. “We’re competing with six states. It’s just one of those deals where we try to get a grant.”
 
Bradshaw said he is going after grants, including one or two more requests for transportation money, for other prospects as well.
 
Of the 13 projects Bradshaw is currently working on, he said most – 11 – are in the manufacturing sector, one is in distribution and one is in business services.
 
“I think we’re getting the word out, and the economy’s improving,” he said. “Most of the projects we’re seeing are from site consultants.”
 
Brunswick County commissioner Frank Williams said officials were trying to put the county in front of as many prospects as possible.
 
“We usually have multiple companies at any one time that we’re talking to,” Williams said, adding that the county commissioners are not typically brought into the deal’s details until later in the process. “We certainly would love to land a large manufacturing company in this area.”