Cumberland County is experiencing a wave of industrial expansion, driven by strategic investments from high-value firms choosing Fayetteville as their operational base. The Fayetteville Cumberland Economic Development Corporation (FCEDC), a collaborative body supporting local government in business attraction, reported significant progress during a recent joint meeting with city and county officials. n nRobert Van Geons, president of FCEDC, highlighted key achievements, including the arrival of Yeadon Domes, a global manufacturer of air-supported structures, which is establishing its factory and corporate headquarters in the city. He also referenced last year’s robust activity, citing Project Aero—the codename for a major titanium production facility—as a standout success. n nAmerican Titanium Metal LLC selected Cumberland County for its 500,000-square-foot plant following local incentive agreements. The project represents an $867 million injection into the regional economy and is expected to create around 300 jobs. Van Geons confirmed the initiative is progressing, with site preparation currently underway and company representatives scheduled to return soon for further coordination. n nIn parallel, FCEDC is repurposing the former Homemakers Furniture and Interiors building into an innovation hub tailored for emerging defense and tech startups. The 35,800-square-foot space will feature secure research labs, advanced computing systems, training areas, and office suites. Interest from private enterprises and academic research groups has been described as “unprecedented.” n nAdditionally, upgrades continue on the 159-acre Sand Hill Road industrial site, owned by the county. These improvements have sparked interest from multiple data center operators, potentially bringing billions in taxable investment. Such facilities, which house high-capacity computing infrastructure for applications like artificial intelligence, align with long-term economic goals. Mayor Mitch Colvin has previously emphasized their importance, especially after Amazon announced a $10 billion data center in neighboring Richmond County earlier this year. n
— News Original —nEconomic development growing in Cumberland County as companies choose Fayetteville for operationsn nEconomic development is strong in Cumberland County as industry continues to expand here. That’s according to the Fayetteville Cumberland Economic Development Corporation, a public-private partnership that works on behalf of the local government to attract high-value companies to Cumberland County. n nRobert Van Geons, the president of FCEDC, gave updates on economic development efforts to Fayetteville and Cumberland County elected officials at a joint committee meeting on Monday. He praised recent economic development successes, such as attracting Yeadon Domes, an international manufacturer of air domes, to build its factory and headquarters in Fayetteville. n n“Looking back, last year we had one of our most active years in total of announcements and projects generated, with Project Aero … the opening of Amazon and many others,” Van Geons said. n nProject Aero was the former code name for a 500,000-square-foot titanium factory that is set to be built in Fayetteville in the near future. The aerospace manufacturing company American Titanium Metal LLC selected Cumberland County for its site last summer, following incentive packages from the city and county. The facility promises an $867 million investment in the local economy and about 300 jobs. Van Geons said the project is steadily “moving forward,” with company officials focused now on preparing the property for development. n n“We have met with them multiple times,” he said. “They’re coming back into town in a few weeks here.” n nVan Geons said FCEDC is also working on developing a center for innovation to house startup defense and technology companies, in the former location of the Homemakers Furniture and Interiors. The 35,800-square-foot warehouse will offer training spaces, secured technology labs, advanced computing infrastructure and offices, according to FCEDC. n n“We’ve had an unprecedented interest from private sector companies and research institutions,” Van Geons said of the facility. n nIn addition, FCEDC is continuing to make improvements to a county-owned, 159-acre property, known as the Sand Hill Road site, for industrial development, Van Geons said. n n“Now we have interest from multiple data centers to the tune of billion dollars worth of taxable investment looking to come to our community,” he said. n nData centers are facilities that store computer systems that process large amounts of data, such as artificial intelligence servers. Mayor Mitch Colvin has previously expressed strong interest in attracting such facilities, which are often valued at more than $1 billion. In June, Amazon selected nearby Richmond County to build a $10 billion data center. n nGovernment accountability reporter Evey Weisblat can be reached at eweisblat@cityviewnc.com or 216-527-3608. n nDid you find this story useful or interesting? It was made possible by donations from readers like you to the News Foundation of Greater Fayetteville, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization committed to an informed democracy in Fayetteville and Cumberland County.
