Bryson Travels to Washington to Brief S.C. Delegation on SCTAC

Greenville, S.C. – Jody Bryson, president & CEO of the South Carolina Technology & Aviation Center, was on Capitol Hill this week meeting with congressional leaders from South Carolina to discuss SCTAC’s economic impact on the Upstate and South Carolina, and to make its case for long overdue federal assistance.

“Our message to them was simple: With close to a quarter of a billion dollars in economic impact to our state annually, the South Carolina Technology & Aviation Center is a major employer and revenue generator and we need the support and assistance of our federal leaders to continue to grow and compete in today’s global economy.”

Bryson has met with 4^th District Congressman Bob Inglis, 3^rd District Congressman Gresham Barrett, 5^th District Congressman John Spratt, and 2^nd District Congressman Joe Wilson, as well key staff members of Senators Jim DeMint and Lindsey Graham, 6^th District Congressman Jim Clyburn and the House Appropriations Committee.

SCTAC is responsible for $222.2 million in economic development alone (53%) compared to $195.1 million (47%) from all other general aviation airports in the state combined, yet they receive no millage or taxes from the county or city. SCTAC is also a center for job creation. Already in 2009:

• 3M recently completed a $150 million expansion
• Vetroresina completed their new facility
• Several upgrade/expansion projects are underway at Lockheed-Martin
• Cytec is undergoing a $250 million expansion
• The SC Army National Guard will break ground next year on a $45 million Aviation Support Facility
• Greenville County School District is constructing a new School Bus service and maintenance center

“We have shovel-ready infrastructure projects that will lead to economic development and ultimately job creation at SCTAC,” Bryson said. “We are on the forefront of economic development for leading international and high-tech companies because we have 375 acres of prime aviation property, three 30-acre industrial sites and a well-educated technical workforce that companies can capitalize on. Ninety percent of jobs and direct economic impact of this facility come from companies that use cutting-edge technology in their operations, have research labs and/or facilities onsite or supply products and services to high-tech industries.

The South Carolina Technology & Aviation Center is unique to the state of South Carolina. It is the largest general aviation airport in S.C. with more than 50,000 flights annually and its total economic impact is $222 million for the airport only, more than all of the general aviation airports in the state combined. No other business facility in the state has a fully-operational general aviation airport, a state-of-the-art control tower, and an 8,000 ft. runway capable of handling large aircraft.

SCTAC is a hub for industrial, technological and aviation facilities, and provides direct access to an airport infrastructure that contains an aircraft maintenance and modification center suited for air cargo and aviation-related businesses.

Strategically situated along the I-85 corridor in Upstate South Carolina, two hours south of Charlotte, N.C., two hours north of Atlanta, Ga., and three hours northwest of the historic port city of Charleston, S.C., the South Carolina Technology & Aviation Center is also within 30 minutes of some of the country’s best colleges and universities, including Clemson University, Furman University, Wofford College, and Greenville, Spartanburg and Tri-County Technical Colleges.

The South Carolina Technology & Aviation Center (http://www.sc-tac.com/) opened in 1942 as Greenville Army Air Base. When the Air Force decided to close the base in 1962, the city and county of Greenville purchased the property and named it after Greenville native, Captain John O. Donaldson, a World War I flying ace, and it became known as Donaldson Center Industrial Air Park. It changed its name to the South Carolina Technology & Aviation Center in 2008 and currently employs more than 4,000 people from more than 80 local and international companies and organizations, including Fortune 500 companies 3M, Lockheed-Martin and Michelin. For more information, please visit the center’s website at http://www.sc-tac.com/.