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Wilmington Business Development details Amazon projects in Pender Commerce Park; commissioners debate $500,000 county contribution
Summary
Wilmington Business Development outlined multi‑tenant growth at Pender Commerce Park, including two Amazon projects projected to add roughly 1,100 jobs and substantial private investment. Commissioners questioned a staff request that the county contribute $500,000 to relocate utilities for a Last‑Mile site; no appropriation was finalized at the meeting.
Wilmington Business Development, the county's contracted economic development partner, updated Pender County commissioners on recent activity in the Pender Commerce Park and prompted a contentious discussion over a county funding request.
Mister Satterfield told the board the park is effectively sold out and highlighted two recent commitments: "Project Whale," described as a 3,200,000‑square‑foot Amazon robotic sorting facility expected to employ at least 1,000 people, and "Project Tuna," a nearby last‑mile facility the presenter said would create about 100 full‑time and 200 part‑time delivery positions. He said the park now hosts a mix of local and global firms, including ACME Smoked Fish, Polyhose, Maersk cold storage and Empire Distributors, and estimated the park represents roughly $1.5 billion in investment and about 4,000 jobs across tenants.
Why the county was asked to pay. Staff later presented an item asking the board to appropriate $500,000 in economic development funds to relocate county utility lines so a developer can finish driveway/entrance work for the Amazon last‑mile parcel. Miss Blue told the board the request stems from an engineering determination made shortly before construction that the existing public utilities are shallower than required for heavy loads; staff said the $500,000 would be the county's portion to move those lines.
Board questions and concerns. Commissioners pressed staff and Wilmington Business Development about timing, due diligence and developer contribution. Commissioner Tate asked how much of the park's jobs would go to Pender residents; Mister Satterfield said he did not have an exact local‑hire number, estimating historically a substantial share are regional rather than strictly county residents. Tate also asked whether the developer had been responsible for identifying utility issues before site work began; staff said the county was notified about a month earlier and had been working on estimates and permitting since then. Miss Blue said the developer had paid roughly "$700,000 to $800,000 in fees" and that first‑year tax revenue from the tenant would more than cover the $500,000 over time.
No final appropriation. Commissioners debated whether to table the matter for a site visit and more information. A motion to table was offered; another commissioner moved to approve during the same interval, but the motion to approve "died without a second" in the public record. At the end of the discussion the $500,000 contribution remained unresolved in the minutes for this meeting.
Why it matters. Supporters said completing the site work would accelerate tenant occupancy and jobs, while skeptics argued the county should avoid paying new costs that may stem from developer oversights and that the board should follow the budget process or require clearer developer cost contributions.
What happens next. Staff and economic development partners said they will continue work with the developer and return to the board with additional details; no appropriation or binding direction was recorded at this meeting.
