This has been a big year of announcements concerning economic development, and the South Western Kentucky Economic Development Council hopes to keep that trend going into 2023.
Executive Director Carter Hendricks appeared on WHOP Friday morning and says announcements such as Ascend Elements—the largest economic development announcement in western Kentucky history—really showcases the appeal of the region. Heading into the new year, he hopes workforce numbers increase greatly to provide the skilled labor that is needed to both STAFF those industries and attract new ones.
He’s sure workforce struggles will continue, so he expects to see more recruitment and retention efforts from local industries.
Hendricks they’ve already seen interest on the Trigg County spec building—which has just begun the construction phase—and he expects that to sell quickly.
Overall, Hendricks says he wants to see even more announcements, beneficial community partnerships, more housing incentives to support the growth of incoming employees and for the income tax to continue its path toward zero percent.