Growing Mooresville Reinventing for the Future

Mooresville will be the destination for economic growth in the Charlotte region by creating a climate that grows existing businesses, attracts new businesses, cultivates entrepreneurship, creates a world-class workforce, maintains and enhances an excellent quality of life, and encourages collaboration within its community to build economic prosperity for all.

The Mooresville-South Iredell (MSI) region works together and across town and county boundaries to support existing businesses, entrepreneurs, and attract companies within its target industries that provide higher-quality jobs and long- term prosperity.

Good staff communication with county and regional organizations. Active in Lake Norman Transportation Commission, Charlotte Regional Partnership and Centralina Economic Development Commission. School, county and town staff active with Developers Council. EDC created a position for existing business. Effective Downtown Commission. County and Town Commissions receptive and active with economic incentives. Mitchell College strongly oriented towards workforce education.

Prepare the current and future workforce in the MSI region for high-impact, high- paying jobs by strengthening the public education system, increasing access to the higher education system, and making the community college and workforce education system more effective.

Public schools are assisted by Town water and sewer improvements for Woodland Heights and Mooresville Middle, Intermediate and Rocky River schools. Schools assisted the Town with space for sewer station at Coddle Creek School. MGSD school resource officers paid by The Mooresville Police Department. Town Parks/Rec shares facilities at several ISS and MGSD schools and assisted in upgrading facilities for recreation and school use. The Town assisted with installing wireless at Mooresville Senior High School. The Town Library offers student resources and programs. MGSD digital conversion program prepares students, teachers and parents for 21st century. Mi- Connection provides internet connections through discount program for students who would not have it without MIC. NF Woods Technology campus of MGSD provides training and programs that are workforce preparatory. Public schools improved State ranking within top 10 and 20. ISS added an IB program and MGSD issues laptops to all students grades four and higher. High Schools won regional, state and national championships in several sports, robotics and educational leadership. Mountain State University offers graduate degrees. Mitchell College and MSU offer undergraduate training in professions. Both have new facilities. Mitchell College maintains close ties with the Chamber and Downtown Commission and offers Seminars and workforce education courses from a day to semester. MSU features leadership development undergraduate and graduate programs. The Town approved land use for Pine Lake Prep Charter school. The MSI Chamber has active standing committee in workforce education.

Continue to preserve the high quality of life already present in the MSI region and improve quality of life elements most likely to attract young professionals and businesses among the recommended target industries.

Public schools improved State ranking within top 10 (MGSD) and 20 (ISS). ISS added an IB program and MGSD issues laptops to all students grades four and higher. High Schools won regional, state and national championships in several sports, robotics and educational leadership. Improved traffic flow at problem intersections. Paved gravel streets. Added sidewalks around schools. Built four major parks and improved several facilities. Improved code enforcement. Created downtown signs. Revised Mooresville logo for use among several organizations. Improved downtown appearance and traffic flow. Attracted 3 restaurants and a bar. Improved service, speed, reliability, options and quality of internet and phone for home. Began Mooresville Concert Series and expanded with outdoor performances and movies. Started seasonal monthly Cruise In and Art Walk. YMCA offers major events around Independence Day. Chamber hosts several expos and seminars targeting professionals. Mooresville has a sense of community in it’s core of downtown merchants, schools and common industry and 360° field & farm separation from next community.

Ensure that sites and infrastructure in the MSI region are ready to meet the needs of target businesses that want to locate in the region as well as existing businesses that want to expand.

Completed upgrade of water plant with capacity for industrial development. Began expansion of sewer and initiated inspection and upgrade of old pipes and pumps. Created strong Fund Balance and bond rating and used cash aggressively as bidding rates fell to improve and expand facilities. Managed the town’s Balance Sheet very well. Improved traffic flow with intersection and rail crossing improvements and completed road surface upgrades. Business quality internet and phone service available and scalable but not sufficient in nonresidential areas. Mooresville is not competitive in land price or availability, interstate access and building availability. There are no useful solutions underway. Insufficient infrastructure in Langtree and Cornelius Road employment center areas.

Provide adequate resources to the MSI region’s economic development efforts, create a more positive environment, and improve the effectiveness of economic development activities through collaborative programs and cooperative efforts throughout the region.

Enhanced Mooresville’s role as a regional employment center – commuting patterns at equilibrium. Created separate organizations to collaborate and focus on aspects of Economic Development. Created public and private funding for Economic Development Corporation. Mooresville assists Chamber and Downtown Commission with financial and staff targeted program support. Strong, collaborative working relationship with stakeholders – MSIEDC, Chamber, Town and County.

A lot has been accomplished from the original Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. Commitment and collaboration have been the key to our success. Thank you for making good things happen for our community.

What has to be done to build the capacity to compete and a community that thrives in a changed and changing economic environment? Mooresville and the world are different than they were in 2006, what is driving the transformation today and for the next 5 years?

Population: 20,000Population: 33,741 Unemployment Rate: 3.2%Unemployment Rate: 11.1% Price of Gas: $1.39Price of Gas: $4.00 Lowes Employees: 200Lowes Employees: 4000 # of Facebook Members: 0# of Facebook Members: 500,000,000

Mooresville will be the destination for economic growth by creating a climate that grows businesses, cultivates entrepreneurship, creates a world-class workforce, enhances its excellent quality of life and collaborates within its community and the Charlotte region.

Mooresville seeks to maintain and enhance the community’s high quality of life; attract young professionals and provide quality educational opportunities at all levels for a high quality and educated workforce.

How do we nurture a high quality workforce? What attracts young professionals to a community? What things would make someone say Mooresville/South Iredell has a high quality of life?

Mooresville seeks to enhance its role as an employment center in the region through its support of existing industries, entrepreneurship, the attraction and recruitment of its target industries; the provision of the necessary infrastructure and efficient, collaborative service delivery.

How do we support existing industries? What can we do to nurture entrepreneurship? How can we best attract and recruit our target industries? What needs to be done to assure the provision of the necessary infrastructure? How do we provide efficient,collaborative service delivery.

We need your help evaluating, refining and prioritizing actions steps for each goal at a meeting on May 18 th. If you have ideas after you leave this meeting, please them to: Thanks for your help!