20200186 Ver 1_Apple Creek Economic Impact_20200204

GASTON CO NTY
Economic Development Commission
North Carolina
Transportation and Economic Impacts — Apple Creek Business Park
The Apple Creek Business Park will provide many needed assets to the residents and
taxpayers of Gaston County. In conjunction with land development and business
recruitment opportunities, the business park will provide a new thoroughfare connecting
Highway 279 and Highway 275 together between White Jenkins Road and the 279/275
merger in Dallas. This road will remove nearly a mile and a quarter of excess travel
along 279 and just over a mile on 275 for traffic travelling between the two highways.
This will also provide shortened response time for emergency personnel and first
responders to traverse the same distance.
The economic impact of the Park and its associated thoroughfare will be substantial to
the area. As land is quickly acquired and developed in Gaston County, the availability
of tracts large enough to support a stand-alone business park are in short supply.
According to a study performed by the Economic Development Commission in 2015,
Apple Creek was the singular property cited as both large enough from a development
perspective and convenient enough to vital transportation corridors (Hwy 321 and
Interstate 85) to justify the investment. This, along with the few remaining developable
sites available in Gaston County's existing business parks (the Gastonia Technology
Park in Dallas, SouthRidge Business Park in Bessemer City, the Summit at Court Drive
in Gastonia, and the Oaks Commerce Center in Belmont) have driven the need to seek
out all possible land development and business recruitment opportunities.
At full build out, the Apple Creek Business Park will support up to 1.7 million square feet
of industrial space for business recruitment and job creation. This park will give Gaston
County the opportunity to recreate the success of past business parks and ensure that
the future for the County and its residents is bright and secure.
Donny Hicks
Executive Director
Economic Development Commission