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York County Council made a last-minute effort Monday night to save the $1.5 billion Octapharma deal, and its 1,500 high-paying jobs set for Rock Hill.
After nearly two hours of executive session, council voted unanimously to amend a tax incentive agreement that provides more money for the city of Rock Hill. Dollar amounts weren’t given for how much revenue the city would receive. Council gave the city until Aug. 14 to approve its end of the deal.
“I think this is something that all parties can get behind,” said York County Councilwoman Christi Cox.
The county had set July 21 as the start date for a hotly debated agreement on tax revenue, that the city hadn’t approved. Octapharma officials urged the sides to come together to reach an agreement.
York County and Rock Hill have been at odds for weeks over a tax incentive deal for the Swiss company looking to put its headquarters and a lab in Palmetto Research Park. That’s the city-owned property off Interstate 77 at Exit 81, formerly meant to be the Carolina Panthers headquarters.
‘We all lose’ if Octapharma’s $1.5 billion deal in Rock Hill collapses, exec warns
The Panthers deal fell through four years ago over a dispute between the city and team over public funding. Monday night’s meeting is an effort to keep another huge deal from disappearing.
The city and county agree on how much they, combined with the Rock Hill School District, would receive during a 40-year incentive deal. Problems arose when York County Council opted to change where that $362 million went, offering more to the school district to meet capital needs.
The changes, approved by the county two weeks ago, cost Rock Hill about $43 million over the next 30 years, compared to the original incentive agreement. The changes also would cost York County more than $40 million.
Rock Hill had approved the incentive deal prior to that county decision, at the original tax allocation figures. Both the city and county have to approve the deal for it to happen.
The county called a meeting Monday with only two items. One would repeal its recent decision on the tax incentive agreement and another, essentially, would replace it under whatever modified terms the county wants to set.
“I hope this doesn’t just end up wasting everyone’s time, and we’re able to approve something the city of Rock Hill will also agree to,” York County Councilman Andy Litten said in a Facebook post shortly after Monday’s meeting was announced.
What led to the sudden York County meeting for Octapharma
The county and city made several attempts to negotiate an agreement on Octapharma but were unsuccessful, York County Councilman William “Bump” Roddey said in a Monday morning statement. That’s what led to the decision for the county to meet again Monday, he said.
“We look forward to a better working relationship with all entities involved in the future as other opportunities present themselves to our community,” Roddey said.
The Herald couldn’t immediately reach city officials for comment.
Octapharma issues a warning if deal not reached
Last week, Octapharma Plasma Vice President Barry Pomeroy asked York County to work with Rock Hill to reach an agreement. Octapharma Plasma is a subsidiary of Octapharma.
Landing Octapharma will bring benefits that far outweigh the tax funding squabble, he said, and ultimately the community will only remember whether public official got the deal done.
“Governments and schools win if this project comes here,” he said, “and we all lose if it doesn’t.”
What’s at stake with Octapharma
Octapharma intends to buy 50 acres along the interstate from Rock Hill. It’s part of what the city sees as a life sciences hub for the region. The Octapharma property is beside 25 acres where Novant Health will put a $300 million medical campus.
Palmetto Research Park is a prime redevelopment opportunity due largely to remnants from the Panthers plan. State and federal funding built a new interchange off the interstate for the team.
City utilities were already there. In the years since that project fell through, the city worked through zoning and other changes to prepare the site for large-scale redevelopment.
The city targeted life sciences due to high-pay jobs typical to that industry. Octapharma projects headquarters jobs in Rock Hill to average more than $141,000 per year. Manufacturing jobs would earn nearly $103,000. Countywide, the average annual wage is less than $64,000.
The Octapharma plan would create more than 1,200 new jobs. It also would relocate about 300 jobs from Charlotte, where Octapharma Plasma is headquartered.
