Spartanburg’s five-year economic development strategy celebrates third year

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OneSpartanburg celebrated its third-year Tuesday by presenting more than $300,000 toward city beautification projects and online tools for recruiting talent to the region. 

The $4.5 million five-year strategy, launched by the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce in 2017, garnered 42 investors at inception. The plan offers 42 strategies for bolstering Spartanburg’s talent, economy, image and sense of place. The milestone celebration commemorated 13 new companies or expansions and an additional 64 jobs with salaries better than $68,000 a year since the strategy’s release. 

The Year Three Update also kicked off a weekday email briefing called InTheBurg and the See Yourself in Spartanburg campaign with a website geared toward professionals interested in relocating to the city.

The event also released a Talent Toolkit website feature, including lists of market data, job boards and other workforce development services.

In line with OneSpartanburg’s commitment to the city’s beautification efforts, KeepSpartanburg Beautiful awarded six grants worth $14,565 total to the city of Woodruff, S.C. School for the Deaf and the Blind, the Hampton Heights Neighborhood Association, the Country Club Springs Community and the Forest Park Neighborhood Association.  Plans to renovate the Montgomery Building’s historic Carolina Theatre were also discussed. 

The Group of 100, roughly 100 philanthropists with a $1,000 annual commitment toward Spartanburg’s redevelopment, gifted $300,000 to One Spartanburg for a $2.2 million beautification project along West Main Street. Plans include street and landscaping upgrades and possible bike lanes. 

The event, attracting an estimated 300 visitors, was held at Broad Street’s new Magnolia Grand Event Center.