Volvo wanted to locate at a port. We pitched Rocky Mount to them. | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: Brant Clifton reminds us that economic development is a silly science in his "bare knuckles" Conservative online publication known as The Daily Haymaker.

No freakin' joke. The Port City of Rocky Mount.

    The McCrory administration is howling mad at the General Assembly for not coughing up enough bribe money to entice Volvo to build its new plant within the Tar Heel State. But a key source familiar with the details of the deal tells me our pitch to woo Volvo had a geography problem:

    "They wanted a port. They wanted to be by the water. They plan to be importing a lot of stuff to be used at that plant. So, do we pitch Wilmington? No, we offer Rocky Mount. Last time I checked, there were no ships mooring in Rocky Mount to offload their cargo."

    Here is a report from the Charleston paper citing Volvo officials suggesting that the city's port was a key to their decision to commit to South Carolina.

    My source also dismissed the administration's sobbing about not having enough money:

    "Kentucky threw money at Volvo - at a pace we probably could not have matched - and they got knocked out of the game quick. It was all about the port. I'm telling you."

    The Atlanta Journal Constitution was reporting as early as April 20 that North Carolina was out of contention in the fight for Volvo's new plant. Their reporting cited Savannah and Charleston - both major port cities - as the two finalists.

    Give the customer what they want. That's a major business principle. If they ask for a site on top of Mount Mitchell, show them some.

    They wanted a port, and you showed them Rocky Mount, and it's the fault of the legislature ?????

    Kentucky understands that you can't depend on bribing your way to economic development victories. I wish we could get that through to some folks in the administration.