Last week, the S.C. Ports Authority announced that they were moving forward with Inland Port Dillon. This is great news for Dillon County as many of you read last week and in today’s issue.
Inland Port Dillon will bring economic development on a scale that we have never seen in Dillon County. Industries will want to locate in our area and in the surrounding area to be able to ship their containers from the port. Some of our existing industries will expand and grow. More people will be in the area which will result in them spending money here. This will help our local businesses and our municipalities and county who will collect taxes from these local businesses.
Consider the impact that the South Carolina Ports have on our state:
—The South Carolina Ports are responsible for $53 billion in annual economic activity in South Carolina.
—The South Carolina Ports produce $914 million in annual state tax revenue.
—1 in 11 jobs in this state are related to port activity.
—Port-related jobs pay 40 percent more than the average South Carolina wage.
Industry growth and jobs will abound in Dillon County. Great things are on the horizon for Dillon County. It is up to us to be ready to seize the opportunities that the inland port will bring to our area.