Nearly 30 leaders from Wilmington, N.C., are visiting Chattanooga this week "to learn about the city’s continued economic renewal," a visit that featured a presentation and tour of the former U.S. Pipe/Wheland Foundry site that is being transformed into a mixed-use, publicly-owned stadium that will be home to the Chattanooga Lookouts.
The Wilmington Chamber of Commerce visits one city per year to learn about how other communities grow their local economies and improve their residents’ quality of life. They chose to visit Chattanooga in large part because of projects like the stadium project that are already generating new local investment, stadium officials said.
“Wilmington continues to redevelop properties in our downtown riverfront district, many of which are former industrial sites. We are excited to be in Chattanooga to learn how this community has managed a similar transformation successfully for the benefit of residents and visitors,” said Natalie English, CCE, IOM, President and CEO of the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce. “These trips are great learning environments that facilitate the strengthening of community relationships. Our group returns home with a passion to get engaged with initiatives in the Wilmington region.”
Notable visitors from Wilmington included:
- New Hanover County Commissioners Rob Zapple and Stephanie Walker
- Jim Hundley, Wilmington Chamber Board Chair
- Natalie English, Wilmington Chamber President & CEO
- Ernio Bovio, President of the Novant Health Coastal Region
- Jeff Bourk, Director of the Wilmington International Airport
The Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce and River City Company assisted the Wilmington Chamber in coordinating their visit.
Officials said, "The mixed-use stadium will be jointly owned by the city of Chattanooga and Hamilton County and is expected to spur $1 billion in new investment and $2.3 billion in economic impact to the area, according to an independent analysis conducted by Younger. Not only is the stadium development expected to pay for itself through future tax revenue generated around the stadium through a financial tool known as a TIF, but it will generate $186 million in new education funding for Hamilton County Schools and $102 million in new tax revenue for the city and county over the next 30 years, without raising taxes, according to the independent analysis..