Hope Mills approves $1,497 half-page sponsorship in regional business journal

The Hope Mills Town Board voted unanimously to purchase a half-page sponsorship in the Greater Fayetteville Business Journal’s 2026 Book on Business, agreeing to pay $1,497 for the ad.

Faith Hatton, associate publisher and editor of the Greater Fayetteville Business Journal, told the board the annual publication reaches more than 10,000 readers and is distributed at business events and to area chambers and economic development groups. Hatton said the journal links regional business leaders and highlights development opportunities across Cumberland and surrounding counties.

Town Manager (addressed as “Chancellor”) and other board members said the town has seen increased interest from businesses — citing recent projects such as Planet Fitness and the Wawa travel center — and that advertising helps sustain that momentum. The manager said funds for the sponsorship are available in the administration’s budget and suggested the expense would not deplete the Economic Development Committee’s resources.

Commissioner Mitchell moved to approve the half-page sponsorship; the motion was seconded and the board approved the expenditure with no opposition. Hatton said the deadline to provide final ad materials is Jan. 23, 2026.

The sponsorship follows a year of local promotion efforts that the manager said included a town-produced video that has drawn roughly 29,000 views.

Details recorded at the meeting indicated the half-page cost and the distribution plan; the board did not adopt additional promotional conditions when it approved the payment.