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Officials outline infrastructure needs and $2 million state appropriation for Smoky Mountain Innovation Park
Summary
Cobb County economic development representatives told the CLB that a $2 million state appropriation will be used to finish grading and begin utility upgrades at the Smoky Mountain Innovation Park; officials estimated costs for three‑phase power and paving and described next steps for engineering and bidding.
A county economic-development representative told the Cobb County legislative body the Smoky Mountain Innovation Park (the Newport County industrial park) has received a $2 million direct state appropriation to help finish infrastructure, and county staff are preparing engineering procurements to complete utilities. "We estimate for electric and 3 phase power that's gonna be around 1,100,000.0," the representative said, and added paving estimates of about $600,000 to $750,000. The representative said the pad-grading contract should finish by Dec. 31 and that the county will need to upsize water lines, put in a permanent sewer line, install three‑phase power, and add street lighting, landscaping, broadband and telecom. The county is working with the East Tennessee Development District to procure engineers and will then go to public bid for construction. County officials and the mayor said suppliers in the nuclear supply chain are showing interest in East Tennessee land; the representative said finished pads with utilities will make the site more attractive to prospective manufacturers. Officials framed the $2 million as a direct appropriation that allows the procurement work to proceed now rather than waiting for the next grant cycle. The CLB received the update as informational; no additional appropriation vote was recorded in the meeting minutes for this item on the record at the CLB meeting.
