A crowd of “more than 80 business owners, local government representatives and development directors” gathered for the annual meeting of the Southeastern Ohio Port Authority (SOPA) to recognize a successful 2016 and look to “the future of industry in the Mid-Ohio Valley,” The Marietta Times reports. Jim Black, SOPA’s executive director, said, “[w]e exceeded 2016 goals for leads and inquiries, site placements and expansion visits,” and said there is “cautious optimism” for 2017. “We continue to hear from industries looking to expand that the biggest challenge for coming here has been the provision of infrastructure,” Black said. The port authority has seven goals for its focus on infrastructure in 2017, including preventing “losses of major area employers,” sponsoring “one bond issuance and two tax increment financing plans” and bringing “eight new businesses to Washington County.” For more, read the full article.
Southeastern Ohio Port Authority exceeded 2016 goals, looks to future
