WSTB

Big news for Greensboro and the Triad, as it appears a Top Golf will be constructed near PTI.

Big news for Greensboro as I am sure it will be listed. One notes that the other new location in NC is listed as Raleigh-Durham even though actually in Durham, imagine that. Who’s taking bets this one will be listed as Greensboro-Winston Salem (pesky hyphen construction). One would think that including W-S in the name would be economically and commercially beneficial, but even if Topgolf wanted to do so, Greensboro would pitch a tantrum and offer all sorts of reasons why not. After all Raleigh-Durham is known as such nationwide Greensboro-Winston Salem is not (think PTI displays in airports nationwide). After all, it seems that W-S is just a sizable suburb of Greensboro (nationwide image) and the local W-S/Forsyth leadership takes no positive action to the contrary. I don’t think I’ll waste money on that bet.

You don't want Top Golf in the middle of your city. I've seen two in suburban Atlanta and they are big, light-up the night sky (heavy light pollution), and are ugly. Looking at the location, I'm concerned they may try to open in both cities. It's not a central location for the Triad, near the county line. I would prefer one massive three-storey Top Golf in Kernersville or Colfax, near the Novant Kernersville Hospital. It's something you do occasionally, usually as an after-work activity paid for by your employer. For this reason (something you do occasionally), it's usually a destination you're willing to travel a few extra miles/kilometres to. It's fun, but not something you do all the time. I've visited the Alpharetta location, thanks to my employer's after-work team activities. I pass that same Alpharetta location frequently on 400 and it's a big mesh screen with lights on tall poles that light-up the sky for a good distance. Half of it is a large parking lot. Stuff like doesn't belong in the middle of a city. It belongs in suburbia.

This article was in todays TBJ: "Science Center plans bio dome and aquatic rehab facility as it aims for $100M economic impact' "The Greensboro Science Center has set big tourism goals as it plans for two major additions.

The Science Center is aiming to increase attendance to three-quarters of a million and boost its annual economic impact from $77 million to $100 million as it plans to use its share of the upcoming $70 million Greensboro parks and recreation bond for projects called “Expedition Rainforest: Greensboro Biodome” and “The Aquatic Rehabilitation and Care Complex.”

Here's the link to the article: https://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/ ... mpact.html

Toyota Greensboro megasite plans likely even bigger than first announced

https://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/ ... ation.html

More good news regarding the Toyota battery plant in the TBJ today: https://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/ ... -plan.html "Toyota said today it’s adding $2.5 billion and 350 jobs to the $1.29 billion investment and 1,750 jobs it announced last December. That will bring the total investment to $3.8 billion and the total number of jobs in the first phase of the project to approximately 2,100 jobs. The company is aiming to start production in 2025 at Toyota Battery Manufacturing, North Carolina, as the battery plant is called."

Has anyone else noticed "Greensboro" and "Randolph" are now dropped from the project name. It's now North Carolina in the title and Liberty when discussed by the company. There is also growing talk that many of the suppliers will be on the mega site. I've discussed that before and now we are seeing site selectors discussing it. I've heard many times that Toyota is very strategic, politically. They love to spread-out their jobs across what they view as politically important states. I'm guessing they likely prefer the "politically red" name Liberty and supporting a small-town red area, to bring more Republicans on-board for electric vehicles? It seems to be worded as if they may create a western battery factory at some point? It's not Toyota Battery Manufacturing. It's Toyota Battery Manufacturing, North Carolina, as if they have plans for another battery factory? Maybe in a politically important state west of the Mississippi? Democrats are very supportive of EVs, but Republicans aren't. So, a politically important red state west of the Mississippi? Maybe I'm thinking too much about this?

there are a number of secondary suppliers looking around the triad currently.

the state, the triangle and the triad are in a fantastic position. the next 2-5 years will be interesting to watch. lots of people, and infrastructure to support them.

This is a concerning development with Boom. They do not have much room for error, and this is going to set them back substantially: https://journalnow.com/business/local/r ... 4NAiNV0IT4

Haven't seen the actual print edition for today's papers, but the online editions have WSJ's Richard Craver's story at the top of the feed while at the N&R site there's no mention of this as of 9:30 a.m. (Can someone confirm that both papers share common ownership??? )

Looks as if both are owned by Lee Enterprises of Davenport, Iowa. Not sure if this means they share everything.

Sorry, my sarcasm got lost on the printed page... I'm very aware as everyone else here that the newspapers are controlled by a single entity. I guess we can somehow give thanks that each paper apparently still has their own individual editors making decisions as to the placement of news stories. Let's hope that continues.... BTW, it took until almost 2:00 p.m. for the news to hit the N&R site.

From what I’ve read the Rolls Royce engine division has been in serious trouble due to the pandemic and they are trying to refocus on recovering their core business and also preparing for the coming regulations for greenhouse emissions especially in the EU. Also, from what I’ve read RR is saying it will take until 2025 to get back to where they were pre-pandemic. Boom’s agreement with Northrop could possibly help them since they are a prime contractor on the F35 and they use Pratt & Whitney and are looking at GE engines for an upgrade. They will have to realign their work on designing building the engines which will take some time, but working with NG could help them speed up the process. This also made me wonder if there was some behind the scenes political pressure from the EU to exit their work with a US company on a supersonic aircraft especially since they are working with NG for a military version. I guess we'll have to see how Boom responds.

The ACC is officially leaving Greensboro for Charlotte. If you want to see into the mind of a corporate executive, leaving a small city for a bigger city, you don't have to look much further than this quote from the News and Record:

“Should [conference headquarters] be aligned with media opportunities?” Phillips said then. “Should it be aligned with Fortune 100, 200, 500 companies? Should it be aligned with corporate sponsorship opportunities? Should it be aligned with a city that could host championships or does host championships? …

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Or, capital attracts more capital.