CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — Efforts to attract a major employer to the region by way of a so-called industrial megasite are progressing.
The Chesterfield County Economic Development Authority has filed its application to rezone a 1,675-acre tract southwest of Chester as a megasite to accommodate a large industrial user, specifically a company in advanced manufacturing.
The EDA, which has an option to purchase the land, announced last year its intention to use the site, named “Matoaca Mega Site,” to attract a company that could invest more than $1 billion in the local economy and create up to 4,000 direct jobs and more than 13,000 jobs overall.
The county is targeting advanced manufacturers, such as auto makers and other industries described as clean, low-emission and environmentally friendly facilities using new and emerging technologies. Other manufacturing areas targeted include aerospace, data centers, electronics, glass, scientific instruments and controls, and pharmaceutical and medical assembly and packaging.
The investment is projected to produce $5.5 million to $11 million annually in new tax revenue that the county could put toward improving schools and public infrastructure. The EDA’s projections also call for about $6 billion in total economic output and between $75 million and $151 million in net financial return to the county over 30 years.
