BLADEN COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) – Bladen County says that it has been barred from investing into the Elizabethtown Industrial Park by the town after plans for a development significantly changed.
A three-page press release was released on Wednesday, Oct. 16.
The county says that community leaders created the nonprofit Bladen’s Bloomin’ Agri-Industrial (BBAI), Inc. back in 2002 to support business development and create jobs. A total of 29 projects have been completed since then, and two more projects are under construction. The Cape Fear Valley Medical Facility is well on its way to completion, and the county says these are in addition to nine other completed projects located in the Elizabethtown Industrial Park as part of efforts from the county and BBAI.
According to the county, the park is the only industrial park in the county that has water and sewer infrastructure.
But the county says the partnership’s biggest project led to tensions between the county and town.
The county while working on its 2022-2032 Strategic Planning put forward an idea for a “Live, Work and Play” community on 33 acres at the park. The idea was to be a project with around 100 homes to sell to residents, at least seven commercial facilities and a 5,000-person amphitheater in the first phase.
The Town of Elizabethtown then partnered with a non-local developer and gave them control of the community for seemingly the next 99 years, per Bladen County. This version includes 300-500 rental homes instead of homes for sale, a smaller commercial area and marks half of the land for industrial growth.
“No longer will these homes be available for Bladen County residents to purchase and own a part of the American Dream. Instead, they will be for rent, ultimately filling the coffers of a landlord. This was never the objective for the “Live, Work and Play” community,” a county press release states.
Despite attempts by the county and BBAI to talk about an alternative, the town barred them both from any further investment into the park.
“Not having Bladen County’s financial backing and BBAI’s expertise will no doubt result in a huge loss to the current and future citizens of Bladen County and Elizabethtown,” the press release continues.
You can read the full press release below from the county. WECT has reached out to the Town of Elizabethtown for a comment.
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