Railroad Set To Make Major Investment In Triad Megasite

A 1450-acre Triad property designed to attract a large manufacturer is set to take a big step forward.

The North Carolina Railroad Company confirmed this week it will buy 875 acres at the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite at a cost of $13 million. That's more than half the available real estate.

The megasite, which is a collaborative effort between several organizations in Greensboro and Randolph County, is a giant stretch of land being prepped to lure major manufacturers to the region.

Bonnie Renfro with the Randolph County Economic Development Corporation says the railroad deal is a big win for the project.

“Certainly it represents a very significant investment and a confidence on their part that this is a competitive megasite and that it will help move North Carolina forward,” Renfro said.

That growth is desperately needed in the region, according to Triad Business Journal reporter Katie Arcieri.

She says the railroad deal is a significant step for the megasite, and with the decline of manufacturing, textiles and tobacco, there's a lot riding on its success.

“What's at stake is really the future of this region in a lot of ways,” Arcieri said. “I mean, we do have a very diversified economy, but officials say, in this area, that we really need something that's going to be game-changing and that's really going to revive the region. And so to do that, you need a huge site.”

Now that most of the site's property has been purchased, local and state officials can turn their attention to targeting manufacturers, and hopefully creating jobs.