"Point Man" on jobs tours area

Virginia's Lt. Governor Bill Bolling paid a visit to the Greensville-Emporia area on Wednesday.

The visit began at the Southside Virginia Education Center with a brief from local industrial development, County and City officials who urged Bolling to get behind the local effort to secure funding for the area's 'Mega Site' -- an area prime for industrial development and certified for industrial, rail and road transportation by CSX Railroad. The site is the only certified Mega Site in three states -- Virginia, North Carolina and Maryland.

In recent years, CSX has evaluated and certified industrial development sites that would potentially serve heavy industry such as automotive manufacturing. The areas selected and certified as Mega Sites would have to be close to interstate transportation, rail lines and be serviceable by water and sewer authorities.

Prior to the national economic meltdown that began in 2008, the Greensville County Mega Site had attracted attention of at least two major manufacturers.

The Greensville County site, known in economic development circles as the Mid-Atlantic Advanced Manufacturing Center, encompasses 1,500 acres near Exit 13 of Interstate 95 -- about 3 miles north of Emporia.

While identified, the site holds only potential as the county doesn't own all of the property and basic infrastructure doesn't yet exist. However, the County and its partners -- the City of Emporia and the Emporia-Greensville Industrial Development Corporation -- are seeking state assistance in getting funding for infrastructure and land acquisition.

The state has announced that it has $5 million that it is dedicating to Mega Site development.

Wednesday's meeting with Bolling served as a means for the local partnership to stress to Bolling -- Gov. Bob McDonnell's 'point man' on economic development and jobs creation -- the need for those funds to come to Greensville County. Local officials attending the meeting with Bolling included Greensville County Administrator David Whittington, Greensville County Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman Michael W. Ferguson, Emporia Mayor Sam Adams, Emporia City Councilman Woody Harris, and Senator Frank Ruff Jr.