WILMINGTON — Wednesday morning’s Clinton County Commissioners meeting saw the executive director of the Clinton County Port Authority, T. Alex Beres, and Josh Roth, economic development director, present comprehensive updates on the county’s economic development progress.
The meeting shed light on various projects, trends, and insights that impact the region’s economic landscape.
Roth commenced the discussion by providing an overview of the activities in July, noting that the pace was slightly subdued compared to June, attributing this to the vacation season. He elaborated on the county’s efforts, saying, “We have continued to receive strong interest from both industrial and residential housing developers. Much of this interest is coming from the Columbus market, which could indicate a pursuit of the Honda LG project.”
The new LGES/Honda electric battery facility — located at the Fayette County mega-site at the I-71/US 35 intersection — is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024, with an annual production capacity of approximately 40GWh. The joint venture aims to start mass production of pouch-type lithium-ion batteries in 2025, to be supplied exclusively to Honda auto plants to produce EVs to be sold in North America.
Adding context to Roth’s statement, Beres emphasized the significant role of indicators in guiding development conversations. He said, “Demographics and statistics always drive these conversations, but sometimes you need a leading indicator or something that prompts people to look at these numbers. The Honda LG project frequently comes up in our discussions with housing developers, acting as a catalyst for them to explore the demographics and statistics.”
Roth and Beres collectively highlighted the ripple effect of the Honda LG project, saying that while it may not immediately bring in tens of thousands of new residents, it has sparked interest in the surrounding areas, including Clinton County, due to the increased housing demand.
Turning to specific projects, Roth mentioned ongoing efforts with the Community Improvement Corporation in Wilmington (CIC) for the air-side development behind Walmart. He also discussed the upcoming Creekview Housing Development in Wilmington, noting its consistent progress and the careful considerations for balancing infrastructure with the needs of new homeowners.
In the context of job creation, Roth conveyed that the county engaged with two project leads from Jobs Ohio during the month of July. Of special significance was a particular initiative, the specific name of which officials said they are unable to divulge at this time. This project drew considerable attention due to its partnership with a battery manufacturer—an aspect of utmost importance in light of the apprehensions surrounding Honda’s supplier network and the broader potential ramifications. It has been observed that there is a growing interest among individuals seeking proximity to Honda, underscoring the strategic appeal of such a location.
Officials also spotlighted a development that came in the form of Amazon’s commitment to invest $7.8 billion in Ohio’s data centers in central Ohio by the end of 2029. Roth discussed this development, noting Jobs Ohio’s proactive approach to finding suitable sites for data centers across the state. He mentioned that while Clinton County is not currently part of this particular conversation due to water and sewer capacity constraints, the proactive initiative stands out.
Touching on financing trends, Roth referred to insights from the Small Business Development Center, highlighting the tightening credit situation in various industries due to increased competition for deposits among regional banks.
“Some regional banks have had their credit rating downgraded because banks are now for the first time in a long time competing for deposits and that’s the cost of capital going up and it’s tightening the available amount of money to lend, and we’re now seeing this. That’s something we can keep an eye on,” said Roth.
Before entering into executive session to discuss property and economic development in greater detail, the meeting concluded with a note of optimism. The sites proposed to Jobs Ohio garnered positive results, progressing to the next phase. Roth expressed his enthusiasm for the forthcoming training session on Sept. 11 and anticipated a productive engagement with utility providers during this phase.
