GREENSBORO, N.C. — North Carolina lawmakers are expected to pass our first budget in years and it includes hundreds of millions of dollars for the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite if the right business invests.
It's not the first time there's been a push to invest at the site.
In 2018, the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce tried to get a Toyota Mazda plant at the megasite. The company passed, choosing Alabama instead.
In 2020, the chamber flew a plane over Tesla headquarters in California, hoping they would choose Greensboro for a new facility. Tesla also passed, choosing Texas.
Now, the state budget includes more than $300 million to pay for improvements to the megasite if a company commits. The budget states a company must invest over one billion dollars and create 1,750 jobs.
Those numbers are similar to those listed in a project Toyota announced last month-- $1.2 billion dollar investment and 1,750 jobs, all to build a battery plant for electric vehicles. The company is looking for suitors.
The Greensboro Chamber of Commerce wasn't available to talk about this today. Still, state Representative Jon Hardister said an investment like that could transform the area.
"There's no question about it and we're poised I think to make this happen. You can see that the state is committed to the megasite and that commitment is affirmed in this budget," Hardister said.
Hardister is a Republican who voted to approve the budget Wednesday. Democrat Pricey Harrison did not.
She thinks the megasite funding is better spent elsewhere.
"I think we've done a lot of projects thinking if you build it, they will come but they haven't come," Harrison said. "I'm always skeptical of these projects to pour a lot of taxpayer money into luring a company into the area."
House lawmakers have one more vote Thursday before the budget goes to Governor Roy Cooper's desk. He said he will sign it.