Intel inside the Piedmont Triad?
Flush with the glow of the successful Chrysler Classic of Greensboro and the opening of Winston-Salem's new Dell plant, we may have another small reason to be hopeful about the Triad's long-term prospects.
Word has trickled out that the site selection bosses from computer chip giant Intel came to town in June for that other golf tournament, the U.S. Open in Pinehurst, as guests of the Greensboro Economic Development Partnership.
After the tournament, they came to Greensboro, got a tour, and sampled the high life at the Grandover resort.
Dan Lynch, the partnership's acting president, confirmed that the invitation was part of the partnership's ongoing marketing efforts.
"It was our way of starting the discussion and so often, that's how you do it in this business," Lynch said. "He knows a lot more about Greensboro and North Carolina than before he came in."
Lynch said that the folks at Intel had already heard about the Dell and FedEx projects in the Triad. And while Intel has no projects planned right now, Lynch says, the visit could bear fruit in the future.
Intel would be perfect for the new economy that's springing up here. It's a supplier for Dell and it ships with FedEx.
But what about that nagging problem in Guilford County -- limited land for industrial sites?
Lynch says there's movement on that front too. He says that Ed Kitchen, who recently retired as Greensboro's city manager, is working with the chamber of commerce and the partnership and is still actively involved in looking at ways to join business with government to build up an inventory of industrial land before there are buyers. That's something that is very expensive for developers.
So for Lynch, "I think we're positioning ourselves well."