BELMONT COUNTY, Ohio — A representative from the Appalachian Partnership for Economic Growth, or APEG, spoke before Belmont County Commissioners on Wednesday morning.
APEG is Ohio’s economic development organization, and it works to expand and develop businesses across the state.
The group works closely with Belmont County’s port authority and the community improvement corporation, and is one of six JobsOhio network partners.
Officials say Ohio River sites are a hot development commodity, and pinpointed the MPR Transloading site in Bellaire.
“I believe we have about 15 sites up and down the river that we are promoting with the help of our local partners,” said Ed Looman, Eastern Ohio project manager.
“We paid engineering company to go actually go in and study the sites, and it’s actually very detailed, so we know these river sites in and out, what they have available.”
Looman says oftentimes, preparing a site for development is the least glamorous part of the job.
“We all want to be in front of the camera, cutting ribbons, welcoming new businesses to our counties, but in order for that to happen, we have to have somewhere for them to go,” Looman said.
Looman says when APEG began as a region, there were just 400 sites available for development. Four years later, in its 25 southeastern Ohio Counties, there are more than 1,500 sites ready for growth.
From WTOV9 | March 22, 2017
