Thumbs up to the Excellence Award in Economic Development that the city received last week from the Centralina Council of Governments, recognizing the work Kannapolis has done preparing for the N.C. Research Campus. That includes developing the self-financing bond package and having the SWOT and economic impact analysis done.

In some ways, the Research Campus seems like a huge gift that David Murdock has dropped in the city’s lap. But accommodating that “gift” and setting up the infrastructure to serve it are huge tasks — tasks that might overwhelm officials in some cities.

The real prize will be manageable, well-planned growth, but an award along the way is certainly nice and well-deserved. It’s a reminder that our local phenomenon is of regional importance.