On Wednesday evening, Oct. 22, the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce and the City of Burlington will host what they’re calling a “major economic development announcement.”

The event will take place at Impact Alamance in downtown Burlington and will feature a who’s who of state and local leaders.

The details of the announcement itself are being kept under wraps – at least officially – but the project in question is an $860 million distribution center expected to bring 505 new jobs to Guilford County.

Just another nearly billion-dollar investment in the region.

The project has been code-named “Project Titan,” and, though the company’s name hasn’t been released in any of the incentives related documents, multiple sources told the Triad Business Journal that the company is tied to Food Lion or its parent company, Netherlands-based Ahold Delhaize.

The new facility will join a long list of large-scale logistics and distribution centers to pop up in this part of the state in recent years. And while details of the deal are still being finalized, what’s clear is that Guilford County – once again – is doing quite swimmingly in the business recruitment game.

Public notices sent out last week show Guilford County is preparing to reimburse the company about $17.9 million in incentives, while Burlington’s package comes in at about $21.5 million.

According to the Business Journal, plans filed with Burlington show a massive development: more than 1.3 million square feet spread across three primary structures, including a main building nearly 100 feet tall. Renderings point to paved lots, a fueling station and maintenance facility – the hallmarks of a high-capacity distribution hub.

The project will rise on recently annexed land in the Rock Creek area, just east of Greensboro and near Lake Mackintosh.

The announcement will come on the same day the Guilford County Board of Commissioners and the Burlington City Council are scheduled to hold public hearings on the incentives packages. It’s unusual timing: the Guilford County Board of Commissioners usually holds these public hearings on Thursdays – but officials made room on the calendar for the hearings to proceed the 5:30 p.m. event.

Placing the two public hearings just hours before the announcement demonstrates how the public hearings no longer serve the purpose they were meant to serve – to allow citizens to provide input on incentives packages, which give away taxpayer money to prosperous companies. But it clearly doesn’t matter what anyone says at these two hearings because this is already a done deal. In fact, even when incentives public hearings are held well in advance of an economic development announcement, those are almost always done deals at that point.

Greensboro Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Brent Christensen said Guilford County’s run of high-profile wins is no accident. He said it’s everyone working together.

Asked why so many companies are choosing North Carolina, Christensen pointed to a combination of factors.

“I just see, every time I look at it, anything says we’re number one,” he said. “We’re the number one state for business and continue to be the leader in economic development.”

He said the biggest driver is talent.

“The jobs are going where the talent is,” Christensen said. “And we have a good amount of talent – not only folks coming into the state, but the people in our state and those that are coming up in the state. You have incredible education organizations whether that be at the four-year university level or K through 12. We’re known for our incredible talent and our incredible education system.”

He added that North Carolina’s location helps a lot.

“It doesn’t hurt to be sitting in the middle of the Eastern Seaboard,” Christensen said. “Our geography lends itself to a number of these projects as well.”

Publix and Amazon also have large distribution centers in the Triad.

Christensen also credited state and local governments with making long-term investments in the past that are really paying off in spades today.

“Our local government leaders and our state government leaders understand that an awful lot of investment in previous years – whether that be expansion of water and sewer, development of different sites and mega sites, whether that be at the state-level preparing our state in terms of a low-cost, low-tax state – that work that’s been done for more than a decade has led to this moment of us being ranked so highly,” he said.

Christensen stressed that leaders aren’t resting on their laurels.

“They haven’t lost sight of making sure that we continue to prepare,” he said. “This is not the finish line. We continue to talk about future water and sewer needs, future electric infrastructure needs, continuing to be prudent in our tax policy. The good news is that government officials know what’s gotten us here and haven’t taken their eye off the ball.”

Economic development veteran Loren Hill, who now works for the Piedmont Triad Partnership, said North Carolina’s national standing is well established.

Hill told the Rhino Times that CNBC has ranked the state the top state for business in four of the last five years. The one year North Carolina missed out on the crown, Virginia squeaked into first place while North Carolina came in second.

If Project Titan does turn out to be a Food Lion-connected operation, it would represent a significant expansion of the grocery chain’s supply chain footprint.

The Rock Creek facility would add to the Triad’s growing roster of retail and food distribution hubs. And with more than 500 jobs projected through 2033, the economic impact would be substantial – not just in direct employment but in construction, infrastructure and spinoff industries.

Guilford County and the region have become a magnet for billion-dollar announcements. Toyota’s battery plant, Boom Supersonic’s Greensboro-adjacent site, Publix’s sprawling distribution center – the list keeps getting longer.

For longtime area residents, it’s a remarkable turnaround.

Not that many years ago, the Triad was losing furniture and textile jobs by the tens of thousands. Now it’s pulling in international players with deep pockets and aggressive growth plans.

Christensen said that’s no coincidence.

“What you’re seeing is the result of years of preparation, partnerships and planning,” he said.

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