Commissioners approve tax incentives for 100-job Project Swarm

Published 12:07 am Wednesday, July 19, 2023

SALISBURY — The Rowan County Board of Commissioners voted Monday night to approve the incentives package for Project Swarm proposed to them by the Rowan EDC. Project Swarm is the code name for a company that is considering a new distribution facility in the county.

If the company does choose to come to Rowan County, the report presented by the Rowan EDC projected the project will add $41 million to the county’s tax base as well as create $1.5 million in tax revenue over the next ten years, starting in 2024. The company would also create 112 full-time jobs. The report projected those jobs to bring in an average yearly wage of around $55,000.

The incentives include a 45 percent tax return from the county’s Investment Grant Program as well as applying for a $200,000 One NC Grant from the state on behalf of the company behind Project Swarm. The Investment Grant Program allows a company to have a percentage of their property or investment taxes returned to them by the county. The One NC Grant is a grant by the state government that would give the county a $200,000 grant that they would then disburse to the business.

Rowan EDC Vice-President Scott Shelton told the board of commissioners Monday that he was under a non-disclosure agreement that prohibited him from disclosing the name of the company. He did, however, state that the company was a household name that has been in business for many years.

Shelton also told the commissioners that the company was working with the city of Kannapolis to secure more grant funding and navigate the review and permitting process. Kannapolis set a public hearing for Monday, July 24 to discuss potential grants for the project from the city.

Shelton also provided more details about a potential timeline for the company if they do decide to come to Rowan County. He said that the company plans to have the new center open for operation in early 2025. He also stated that as of the meeting Monday, Rowan County was one of the finalists in the company’s search for a site to build the new center.

The commissioners also voted Monday night to set a public hearing for Project Puma, another company considering an expansion into Rowan County. The Rowan EDC request for the hearing stated that Puma is looking at a potential manufacturing facility in the county that projects to bring $258 million in building improvements and new equipment and create 352 jobs.