Western North Carolina Economic Development Group

Infrastructure

Broadband
Western North Carolina is light years ahead of many largely rural regions when it comes to broadband, thanks in large part to the long term commitment of major telecommunication companies like AT&T and Verizon. These private utility networks have been supplemented by public/private networks like ERC Broadband, BalsamWest FiberNET, LLC, e-Polk and New River Community Partners. These massive fiber-optic networks enable universities, businesses, hospitals and governments to transfer data at lightning speeds. The e-NC Authority asked AdvantageWest Economic Development Group to help manage several broadband projects in Western North Carolina. Today, these large regional fiber optic loops and several broadband networks have made possible, partnerships with public and private entities, which means that businesses in Western North Carolina have the technology tools to compete with anyone, anywhere.

Netriplex Corporation, an international internet data company that provides Web hosting, network servers, email management, spam filters and data backup systems, chose Asheville as the best place to locate its international network operations center and safely back up its data, and it was Western North Carolina’s investment in broadband infrastructure that won over the company. More recently, Google, Inc. selected Lenoir in the AdvantageWest Region for the site of a $600 million IT server farm.

AdvantageWest is working hard to help establish Tier 2 internet service across the entire region by 2008. In most of Western North Carolina, this goal is already a reality.

Water and Sewer

Western North Carolina has communities with plans in place to continually update water and sewer infrastructure. The region has benefited significantly from state wide bond referendums, the Clean Water Management Trust Fund, the NC Rural Economic Development Center, and Federal programs like USDA and ARC. AdvantageWest has excellent contacts with local governments in order to evaluate the capacity to serve new and expanding businesses.

Electricity and Gas

The AdvantageWest Region is served by two major investor-owned electric utilities: Duke Energy and Progress Energy. Western North Carolina is also served by several electric membership corporations, commonly known as EMCs or Co-ops. Municipal electric providers also serve several communities in portions of the region. Natural gas service is furnished by four companies: PSNC Energy, Piedmont Natural Gas, Toccoa Natural Gas and Frontier Energy.

Transportation
Visit our designated section on transportation in western North Carolina.

In an effort to respond to the diverse economic development needs of North Carolina, then State Representative Martin Nesbitt introduced legislation creating the regional economic development partnerships. It was this extraordinary insight that allowed AdvantageWest to become one of the most innovative and nimble economic development programs in the state.

Amanda Baranski , Exec. Asst./ Asst. Corp Secretary
AdvantageWest
134 Wright Brothers Way
Fletcher, NC 28732