Cocke County Partnership Inc

COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE

THIS EDA INVESTMENT SUPPORTS THE COCKE COUNTY PARTNERSHIP, INC. WITH DEVELOPING A COUNTYWIDE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN TO ACCOMMODATE EXISTING INDUSTRIES, ENCOURAGE COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS THAT SUPPORT FUTURE GROWTH, AND LEVERAGE EXISTING ASSETS IN NEWPORT, TENNESSEE. THE PLAN WILL EVALUATE THE COUNTY'S ASSETS, DELIVER BROAD CONSENSUS ON THE COUNTY'S DESIRED FUTURE, RESPOND TO ECONOMIC CHALLENGES CREATED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, AND GENERATE A ROADMAP FOR EXPANDING ECONOMIC PROSPERITY THROUGHOUT THE REGION. THE INDUSTRIES OF HEALTHCARE, RETAIL, MANUFACTURING, FOOD SERVICE, AND ACCOMMODATIONS THAT PROVIDE MOST EMPLOYMENT IN THE COUNTY WERE SOME OF THE HARDEST HIT BY THE PANDEMIC. UNEMPLOYMENT IN THESE INDUSTRIES HAS HAD A MAJOR RIPPLE EFFECT ON THE ENTIRE ECONOMY IN THE COUNTY. ONCE COMPLETED, THE PROJECT WILL HELP THE REGION DIVERSIFY ITS LOCAL ECONOMY, CREATE AND SAVE JOBS, AND ADVANCE ECONOMIC RESILIENCY TO AN AREA THAT HAS BEEN IMPACTED BY THE DECLINE IN THE COAL INDUSTRY.