Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Bluefield, WV

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  • Only three main projects remain for contractors to complete on the location of the Bluestone Regional Business and Technology Park near Springville, Va. Staff photo by Jon Bolt

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February 11, 2012

Officials marketing nearly-finished Bluestone park to potential tenants

By KATE COIL Bluefield Daily Telegraph

BLUEFIELD, Va. — As construction nears an end, county officials are focusing on acquiring tenants for the Bluestone Regional Business and Technology Park and other economic development initiatives.

Tazewell County Administrator Jim Spencer said site contractors have three projects left to finish on the Bluestone site.

“The pads are ready and the contractors still have some work to do,” Spencer said. “The main things the contractor has to do are finishing the sewer line, water pump station, and the rock facade on the pump station and bridge. The pads are pretty much done. We have taken several companies in to see the pads, but there are those three main things for the company to do.”

Meanwhile, Spencer said the county is aggressively marketing the industrial park.

“We continue to market the Bluestone,” Spencer said. “We have marketed the Bluestone throughout construction and continue to do that. We met with a group in Richmond about potential projects on the Bluestone. The next big step is the contractors finishing their work and second to continue to market the park. No one has signed on the dotted line yet, but we have sent proposals to various companies to encourage them to settle on the Bluestone. We are continuing to that. I believe in simultaneous tasks. We were constructing and marketing at the same time so we can expedite that. We want a business there as soon as we can get one.”

Spencer said the county has sought advice and help from federal legislators as well.

“We have reached out to the state and had Rep. (Morgan) Griffith, R-Va., tour it not too long ago,” Spencer said. “We have contacted him and asked for his help in getting a new business into that area.”

However, the Bluestone is just one of many economic development initiatives taking place in Tazewell County. Spencer said the county is actively searching for a new tenant for the Bluefield Beverage building after it was announced the company would be closing its doors on April 27.

“The county wants to help the employees and is doing so by hosting the job fair,” Spencer said. “We have reached out to Kroger, and I have done that personally to help them market that facility. Our goal is to get another tenant into that building as soon as possible. We have been contacted by several groups about that facility, but where that will go I don’t know. We want to assist Kroger in marketing that building so it doesn’t stay vacant very long. There is interest in that building, and we want to help the individuals find gainful employment in other locations and, in the meantime, attract another industry to come into the location. I think that is the role the county should take when a problem like this comes up. We want to assist in any capacity we can.”

One of the initiatives the county has taken to help unemployed residents is hosting a series of job fairs.

“We’ve had some businesses sign up already and we are hoping next week will get many more,” Spencer said. “I would love to have 25 to 50 businesses there or more. If we can get more that would be perfect. We are reaching out to local companies and making sure they come out. We would love to have any company that is interested in attending. We have been printing out fliers to put in doors of local stores, and we have the city of Bluefield running it on their billboard by the fountain. We’ve had the chambers send it out to their memberships. We are doing everything we can to make this a successful event.”

Spencer said career counselors will be available at the job fairs to help advise unemployed residents of their options and what steps they need to take to find a new position.

“Say you want to change careers or you’ve been laid off and want to go into a different field; there will be counselors there to talk to you about changing potential careers and what skill sets you need to get the training for that new career,” Spencer said. “I think that is important because a lot of times people don’t know who to turn to for advise. We are getting aggressive and doing the best we can to help the people and businesses in our area.”

The Tazewell County Job Expo and Career Fair will be held at Graham Middle School from 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 24 and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25. The second career fair will be held at Richlands Middle School on Friday, March 9 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. and then on Saturday, March 10 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Any business wishing to participate or anyone with questions about the job fair can contact Dee Phillips or Pamela Necessary at 276-988-8976.

          — Contact Kate Coil at

             kcoil@bdtonline.com

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