Chapin cuts ribbon on new business and technology park

Listen to this article

Monday was a day of celebration as local business leaders and dignitaries officially opened the newest business park in Lexington County.

The Chapin Business and Technology Park at Brighton is the third park in Lexington County built for economic development. The others are Saxe Gotha in Cayce and Batesburg-Leesville. The 220-acre park at Brighton is adjacent to what will become a residential and commercial space.

“A huge selling point is the community,” said Mike Eades, director of economic development in Lexington County. “There are a lot of people that commute out of the county, so businesses moving here could have a labor supply of those that would rather work closer to home.”

Eades said the park is designed to attract advanced manufacturing, life sciences, financial services and other technology-centered firms.

Debbie Summers, Lexington County council chairman, said there have already been inquiries from businesses looking to build on the land, but when it comes to economic development, businesses must be the right fit.

“We’re hoping to be open-minded with all our tenants, because it does say business and technology,” Summers said. “Technology drives so much of what all businesses do nowadays. We don’t care if the business has 20 employees or 200.”

The project was conceived in 2012, when Columbia developer Stewart Mungo came to agreements with Lexington County. He gave the county the 220 acres in return for access to the roads and sewer system.

Eades said Monday that the infrastructure was complete and the site was ready for tenants.