By Betsy Finklea
A groundbreaking ceremony was held for Inland Port Dillon on Friday just before noon at the site of the future port.
Jim Newsome, South Carolina Ports Authority President and CEO, welcomed everyone to the future site of Inland Port Dillon and was met with a hearty round of applause from the audience.
Rep. Jackie Hayes gave a prayer and thanked God for this opportunity for the citizens of Dillon County and the Pee Dee area. He then led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Newsome said that what the attendees would see today is that the port business was a team sport, and it takes a lot of people to make something important happen. He said they view the S.C. Ports Authority as the biggest strategic asset in the State of South Carolina in terms of economic development.
Newsome said that every study that they have done show that. He said the ports have a $53 billion direct and indirect economic impact. Also, one in 11 jobs are port-related, and these jobs pay 40 percent more per capita on average.
Newsome said the Ports Authority it  investing over $2 million along with their partners to take the region forward. He stated that this doesn’t happen without a willing board of directors.
In January 2012, Newsome said the SCPA decided to build an inland port in Greer. It was an unproven concept, but it made sense to extend into the interior with a rail-served inland port. It opened in November 2013 and has exceeded their expectations with 100,000 rail lifts in three years. He said this inland port has had phenomenal development, and he expects the same in Dillon.
Newsome reviewed the things that will help make a successful port. He said first there has to be a cargo base—someone to use the inland port. He said the anchor for this port is Harbor Freight Tools.
The second thing is a willing class one railroad. He noted that the line that will serve the port is a CSX  “A”  line.
The third thing is a willing community or group of supporters. He said that it was a privilege to build infrastructure where the people are happy to have it and where they can make a difference.
The fourth thing is the privilege to work with a great team, which he has at the SCSPA. He said he was grateful to Jack Ellenberg, who was the project leader on Inland Port Dillon.
Newsome said all of this converged together to bring about this momentous occasion and opportunity. He said by this time next year they should be in operation.
Newsome said they have a rich combination of import cargo, which goes to where people live, and export cargo, which comes from manufacturing sites.
He said this was an exciting day for them and a day to always remember.
Governor Henry McMaster said he was a happy man and looking at the faces of the audience, he could see that they were also, and it was only going to get better.
“Most people think you spell port, p-o-r-t,” said McMaster, “but actually you spell it m-o-n-e-y,” and it’s on its way.
He praised Jim Newsome and the board for their innovative thinking.
McMaster said with two inland ports that South Carolina is more unique than we were before with one port connected to I-85 and the other connected to I-95, it opens the door to the world to us. He said in a few years that the Port of Charleston and the Port of New Jersey will be the two dominant ports on the East Coast. He closed his comments quoting Jackie Gleason. “How sweet it is,” McMaster said. “It doesn’t get any better than this.”
S.C. Senator Hugh Leatherman said it was a great day in Dillon County. He asked the audience to try to look around and imagine what this was going to be like. He said this part of the state will be transformed forever. He spoke about the partners involved. He said Inland Port Dillon will serve about 45,000 containers annually which will open up this area of the state and take about that many trucks off I-26 and I-95.
S.C. Senator Kent Williams said this was an exciting time for Dillon County, and the county has long-awaited this day. He said this is a perfect example of partners, relationships, and collaborations, and that it was not just about Dillon County, it was about the Pee Dee Region and the surrounding area. He recognized Harbor Freight as the anchor industry for the port.
Kellen Riley of CSX said South Carolina is a very critical part of the CSX network. He said the line at the site is an “A” line that basically goes from New York to Florida. He said Dillon is a crucial point in the network to fluidly and efficiently move containers through the Port of Charleston and elsewhere, and it grows on their expansion and intent to grow further in the Southeast. He said they look forward to providing rail service to this terminal in the near future.
Dillon County Administrator Rodney Berry was the next to speak. he said the entire county is “ecstatic.” He likened the process they had gone through to bring the inland port to Dillon to being pregnant. He said today they give birth to a beautiful baby, but that they went through many labor pains to get here. He said it was an “awesome collaboration” in every way. “We are jacked up here in Dillon County,” said Berry, who said the entire area will benefit from the project.
Dillon County Council Chairman Archie Scott said it was certainly a great day in Dillon County, and we are appreciative of the inland port locating here. He said they sincerely welcome the S.C. Ports Authority to Dillon County. He thanked the former landowners, Cullen Bryant and Bill Coward. He said if it were not for the citizens of Dillon County this day would not be possible.
Bo McInnis, chairman of the Marlboro Electric Cooperative Board, said that Marlboro Electric Cooperative and the Marlboro Development Team were proud to partner in this project. He noted that Marlboro Electric Cooperative was the largest industrial cooperative in the United States.
McInnis said the Dillon Inland Port would give their served industries such as Harbor Freight Tools, Flakeboard, Domtar, and Wyman-Gordon tremendous benefits and opportunities that did not exist before and creates an environment for others to locate here. “The inland port will become one of our area’s most historic accomplishments,” said McInnis.
Robby Roberson of Harbor Freight Tools told a story which he said represents what America is all about. He said in the year 200 Eric Smidt, the head of Harbor Freight Tools, stepped out in a field about two miles from where they were today and said he was going to build Harbor Freight Tools East Coast operation there. He said many people questioned this decision, but that Smidt was a visionary. He said 17 years later that Harbor Freight Tools has more than doubled the company and is one of the fastest growing retailers in the country with a new store opening every three days. Roberson said this says a great deal about this community. He said that 17 years later here they are in a field with a vision. He doesn’t think that the people of this town, county, or region really understand what is going to happen here. He said it is an explosive opportunity for South Carolina and real opportunity to move forward. He said 17 years from now, we will look back and say what a vision.
After the remarks were completed, a short video was shown and the groundbreaking took place.
“Located within the Carolinas I-95 Mega Site, Inland Port Dillon has close proximity to I-95, a critical transportation artery in the Southeast. The area is central to a significant base of existing Port users that represent base cargo opportunities for the facility. The initial phase is expected to handle at least 45,000 containers annually, offering overnight access to and from Charleston via an existing CSX mainline,” according to a press release from the South Carolina Ports Authority. “SCPA first announced consideration of a constructing an inland port in Dillon in April of 2016. To date, SCPA has completed the initial design phase, permitting and equipment requisition process for the facility and will soon award contracts to begin construction of the terminal,” the press release states.