Roanoke Regional Partnership reports $265 million in new regional projects, emphasizes talent and placemaking work

The Roanoke Regional Partnership reported to the Roanoke City Council on March 3 that the organization and its regional partners supported projects representing $265,000,000 in new economic activity last year.

"The word absolutely is momentum," John Hull, executive director of the Roanoke Regional Partnership, told council during the presentation, summarizing the organization's view of recent gains in job creation and investment. Hull said the partnership supported seven announced investments in the region last year, including three in the city of Roanoke.

Hull said the partnership's operating budget is about $1.6 million (roughly $2.1'$2.2 million when combined with the Roanoke Outside Foundation), the staff totals 10 people and the board includes 33 members representing eight local governments and higher education.

Hull told council the partnership tracked 527 business opportunities last year, with more than 20 entering late-stage consideration. He said the region announced projects that amount to 390 jobs and about $162,000,000 in new capital investment across the region, and cited manufacturing growth and a record pipeline of projects as evidence of stronger economic momentum.

Hull described several specific items the partnership supported: Tunney Cargo, a manufacturing spinout of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute; an Amazon last-mile facility; and the Market on Melrose project. He also said the partnership supported the city's application that secured $7.5 million in state funding to prepare property at the Roanoke Center for Industry and Technology.

On workforce and marketing, Hull and Pete Eshelman, senior director of creative strategies and head of Roanoke Outside, said the partnership's talent programs are expanding. Hull noted the Get to Know NOAK (talent) website traffic increased significantly, the Talent Ambassadors program has grown to 26 ambassadors, and the partnership hosted a regional talent summit with about 261 attendees.

When Mayor Cobb asked about site readiness at Woodhaven Technology Park, Hull said, "We are the complete, I think, it's a 5 tier system of readiness. We're at the highest level of readiness, Mayor." He added that the partnership continues to compete for opportunities at Woodhaven.

Eshelman described place-making work and events such as Go Fest and the Blue Ridge Marathon as both marketing tools and direct economic contributors; Hull said event-driven visitor spending produced about $5.4 million in direct impact last year.

The presentation closed with Hull's assessment that the partnership had reached roughly 80% of its Thrive 2027 employment goal and 142% of its capital investment goal, and that ongoing regional coordination is central to continuing progress.

Council thanked the presenters and asked several follow-up logistical questions about Go Fest locations and Woodhaven; Hull and Eshelman provided operational responses.