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Mount Rogers Regional Partnership reports $128M in investment, 238 jobs in FY25
Summary
Mount Rogers Regional Partnership told the Smith County Board that last fiscal year the region supported 238 new jobs and $128 million in capital investment, highlighted a 65‑acre greenhouse project and site‑development work at Pathway Park, and said it secured grants and foreign direct investment certification for region sites.
Ashlyn Shrewsbury, executive director of the Mount Rogers Regional Partnership, briefed the board on regional economic development activities and targets. She said the partnership supports job creation, capital investment, workforce development and site readiness work across member localities including Smith County.
"For those of you who don't know me, my name is Ashlyn Shrewsbury, and I'm the executive director for Mount Rogers Regional Partnership," Shrewsbury said. She reported that in the last fiscal year the partnership helped support the creation of 238 new jobs and roughly $128,000,000 in capital investment, and highlighted several projects: a 65‑acre greenhouse ("Plucked") that is a major capital project with an initial planting and a reported capital investment and expected jobs; expansions by existing companies (including Hitachi Energy) and lead generation activities that produced 40 leads, 75 business visits and 20 requests for information.
Shrewsbury also described site work: management of Pathway Park and continuing site development (Wildwood Site 1 due diligence, Pathway Park access analysis) funded by grants from the Tobacco Commission, AEP and the Wellspring Foundation. She said the region completed a foreign direct investment (FDI) certified community process and had Pathway Park certified as FDI‑qualified, which she said will help marketing efforts to attract investment.
Board members followed with questions about agribusiness and possible uses of former tobacco land; Shrewsbury said agribusiness and greenhouse development are target industries and staff will explore site leads and partnerships with local staff.
