The 23 counties of AdvantageWest Region stretch from Virginia to Georgia and cover nearly 10,000 square miles (16,090 sq. meters) — larger than eight U.S. states. Against the spectacular backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Western North Carolina is a sought-after destination for established corporations, entrepreneurs, visitors, retirees and filmmakers. Publications from Money and Kiplinger's to Entrepreneur and Modern Maturity have written about the region’s diverse appeal, which includes:

 

• Fiber optics-based broadband connectivity that is the envy of most rural regions
• A large inventory of affordable certified industrial buildings and sites
• Attractive tax incentives and grants
• Organized networks of entrepreneurs and angel investors
• Excellent universities, community colleges and private colleges
• A skilled, creative and motivated workforce of more than half a million
• A transportation infrastructure that includes I-40 and I-26
• Vibrant communities offering a broad array of recreational opportunities
• National heritage destinations, including the home of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
• One of the world’s most biologically-diverse ecosystems

Overseeing all aspects of Western North Carolina’s regional development efforts is the AdvantageWest Economic Development Group. Chartered by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1994, AdvantageWest is a non-profit public/private partnership whose primary focus is marketing the region to corporations relocating operations, opening new facilities or expanding those already there. The organization also maintains a menu of programs tailored around the capital and technical support needs of start-up companies. In 2007, it unveiled a unique new program that certifies counties and municipalities as entrepreneur-ready. AdvantageWest also maintains the Western North Carolina Film Commission, which has helped generate over $85 million in economic impact through film projects in the region, and it is a strong, strategic supporter of tourism.

AdvantageWest has been recognized nationally by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, the Southeast Tourism Society and the Southern Economic Development Council. A 2002 case study by Georgia Tech’s Center for Economic Development Services described AdvantageWest’s success: “[T]he formation of the Western North Carolina region has provided each of its rural counties with greater resources, opportunities for regional and sub-regional collaboration, and the collective competitive advantage that is associated with a regional identity.”

Advantage West Economic Development Group
134 Wright Brothers Way

Fletcher, NC 28732
Phone: 828-687-7234

Fax: 828-687-7552

www.advantagewest.org