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Officials say SoftBank-affiliated project at Lordstown advancing; county urged to prepare for housing and workforce needs
Summary
County officials reported that SoftBank-affiliated firms intend to proceed with a Lordstown manufacturing plan that county representatives say could create roughly 1,600–2,000 jobs and will visit commissioners in coming weeks; officials urged local developers and Valley Vision to prepare for housing and workforce demand.
A county official told the Board of Commissioners that SoftBank-affiliated investors intend to move forward with a project at the Lordstown site and will meet with commissioners within approximately two weeks.
Why it matters: County staff said the investment could bring as many as 1,600–2,000 employees and will require coordination on housing and workforce development if the project proceeds. Commissioners urged local partners, including Valley Vision and developers, to plan ahead for housing and recruitment needs.
Details reported at the meeting (presented as county staff updates): - The county was informed the project will proceed and that SoftBank-linked stakeholders have recently made a large investment in Intel Ohio; SoftBank representatives told county officials the Lordstown site will be used to produce infrastructure and components for data storage in containerized systems rather than a conventional data center. - SoftBank-affiliated visitors are expected to meet the commissioners in about two weeks to provide a public update; county staff said press releases originating overseas had already made some details public and that local officials were now able to discuss the plan. - County staff said the project timeline discussed with SoftBank is targeted for the first quarter of next year and that the developers anticipate a range of jobs from entry-level to high-tech roles.
Commissioners and staff emphasized the need to coordinate with local workforce and housing agencies; a county official said current staff and retained employees at the site are being kept on payroll as preparations continue, and noted that a company filing to expand plant square footage has been observed in local permitting records.
Ending: County staff said they would share updates as they meet with SoftBank representatives and recommended convening Valley Vision and local housing and workforce partners to prepare for potential housing and employment demand.
