Promise Zone

Promise Zone offers a blessing for our region

SC Promise Zone

By Danny Black, President and CEO, SouthernCarolina Alliance

DEC. 25, 2015 — From Allendale County to Jasper County and all points in between, there is much for people in our part of the Palmetto State to be thankful for this year. One reason is that we live in the new federally-designated South Carolina Lowcountry Promise Zone, which has already begun to bring new opportunities for our area.

Black

Black

SouthernCarolina Alliance, our area’s economic development organization, is working daily to attract new companies to our six counties and helping our existing industries with expansions. As SouthernCarolina Alliance shares our exciting story with prospects across the nation and world, the Promise Zone’s 40 partners and supporters are applying for grants and working hard to make our story even better. This combined effort is generating a new excitement for our region that’s going to transform our future. Read more →

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Jasper County lands $2.5 million investment from carousel manufacturer

SC Promise Zone

OCT. 23, 2015 — A leading manufacturer of customized and rebuilt carousels for industrial applications will move operations to Ridgeland where an affiliate plans to build a 40,000 square-foot facility, state officials announced Thursday. The $2.5 million investment by AS/R Systems Inc., will generate 11 new jobs.

15.1023.asr“AS/R Systems’ decision to invest in our state and establish operations in Jasper County proves that South Carolina is open for business to companies in all industries,” said Gov. Nikki Haley. Read more →

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Hampton agency gets $8.3 million for wastewater projects

SC Promise Zone
A wastewater treatment facility in Yemassee, S.C.

A wastewater treatment facility in Yemassee, S.C.  Photo courtesy Lowcountry Regional Water System.

SEPT. 17, 2015 — Lowcountry Regional Water System is the first recipient of a multimillion dollar grant package through the new South Carolina Lowcountry Promise Zone, officials announced today.

A $1,864,000 grant and $6,480,000 loan through the U.S. Department of Agriculture will allow the Hampton County-based water and sewer agency to make improvements that will expand sewerage capacity, which will make the county more attractive for economic development, said Brian Burgess, general manager of Lowcountry Regional Water System. The project also will allow the agency to rehabilitate sewer lines in Hampton, upgrade the agency’s water meter system throughout the county, and paint and repair water towers in Yemassee and Gifford. Read more →

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Promise Zone is shot in the arm

SC Promise Zone

Commentary from Statehouse Report:

MAY 1, 2015  |  Talk about a shot in the arm for the southern rural counties of South Carolina. Witness the just-announced federal Promise Zone designation for a six-county area centering on Allendale County that should pump in millions of dollars of aid over the next 10 years.

But let’s be clear: It’s a hand-up, not a handout for people in the zone area of Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper counties. There’s a lot of hard work ahead for these counties, nonprofits, government agencies and businesses that are part of the effort to generate more jobs, improve education, reduce crime and get more affordable housing in a region where 28.1 percent of 90,000 residents live in poverty.

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