Economic development projects in the pipeline

The executive director of the Oconee Economic Alliance, Richard Blackwell, spoke today with an air of confidence that the county will soon be able to help fill up one of its industrial parks with two manufacturing outfits.  One of them is described as a BMW-related automotive supplier, and is ready for first reading of a fee-in-place-of tax agreement.  On the agenda for Tuesday’s County Council meeting is a fee-in-lieu of code-named “Mackinaw.”  A second project discussed by Blackwell is code-named “Thermal.”  It also would be slotted for the Information and Technology Park on SC 11.  Here’s what Economic Alliance board members were told about project Thermal:  “Company visited in early October and has committed to Oconee.  Visited again in early October.  Should begin county council process by end of year and begin construction in Q1 (the first three months of) 2016.”