Page 33 - Fayette County NCG

City Updates

(Liberty Tech Charter School) to Main Fayetteville
Street. Now kids can come to the (Brooks Where does a thriving, successful
Public) library. Kids and teachers can walk city that has already welcomed big
to the new coffee shop.” players in entertainment (Trilith), sports
Creating a more pedestrian-friendly
(U.S. Soccer), and technology (QTS Data
environment is intentional. Ungaro said
Centers) go? The answer is onward
speeding on Price Road is a concern, so
and upward!
Brooks is looking at a “traffic-calming
“This year, Fayetteville City Council
measure” in the form of a raised median.
adopted a new, five-year economic
New business Heavenly Coffeehouse
development plan for Fayetteville,”
and Market recently opened in Brooks,
said Lori Funderwhite, Fayetteville’s
adjacent to The Cannery, a business
Director of Economic Development.
center offering full-service office rentals
“It includes target industries as well as
and meeting space. “Brewed with love and
transformative initiatives.”
fueled by faith,” Heavenly Coffeehouse
The new plan, “Re-Imagining
and Market invites the community to
“Come sip, shop, and stay awhile.” Fayetteville: A 5-Year Economic
Of the new addition to Brooks, Ungaro Development Action Plan,” is designed to
said he is “very happy to see that kind build on the city’s successes. Funderwhite
of progress.” said the idea is to bring Fayetteville to

the next level, pursuing the “next big wow
factor,” and determining city priorities and
goals for the coming five years.
Fayetteville enlisted the expertise
of Jay Garner of Garner Economics,
LLC to complete the study. A nationally
recognized site consultant, Garner also
lives in Fayetteville, “which is tremendous
for us,” Funderwhite said.
Garner did the city’s economic
development strategy report about 10
years ago. “It was time for a refresh,”
said Funderwhite who also noted that
most of the recommendations from that
2016 plan were implemented. The recent
detailed analysis revealed four target
industries for Fayetteville: Sports Tourism,
Creative Services, Retail & Hospitality, and
Technology & Professional Services.
With the arrival of U.S. Soccer and its
Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National
Training Center, sports tourism makes
sense for the city. “Employment in
sports tourism has grown in Fayette
County by 21% over the last 10 years,”
said Funderwhite. She noted that sports
tourism in the U.S. is roughly a $544 billion
industry, expected to reach two trillion
Brooks
by 2032.

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