2023 Annual Comprehensive Report

2030 at the CAM megasite near Siler City. Wolfspeed would occupy 445 acres of the 1,802-acre CAM megasite, leaving space available for other major industrial projects. The project’s economic impact is expected to be $17.5 billion through 2045 and generate a net gain of $312 million in State revenue. The average annual salary is projected at $77,553, while Chatham County’s average annual wage is $41,638. The company’s silicon carbide materials plant is under construction and will produce 10 times the amount currently manufactured at the company’s Durham facility that already produces the world’s largest volume of silicon carbide. The fourth megasite, Triangle Innovation Point, is located approximately 30 miles southeast of the CAM megasite. In March 2022, VinFast LLC, a Vietnamese automaker, announced plans to develop a significant electric vehicle and battery manufacturing operation. The project is expected to create 7,500 jobs with production beginning by July 2024. The company plans to invest $4 billion by 2026 with salaries expected to average more than $51,000. Piedmont Triad International Airport (PTIA) , located just eight miles from the City’s downtown area, is a major commercial and private aviation center that is owned and operated by the Piedmont Triad Airport Authority (the “Authority”). Situated along an aerospace-heavy corridor of Interstate 40, PTIA is at the center of a job-rich region for aircraft, manufacturing, aircraft parts supply and aviation repair and maintenance. The Piedmont Triad is home to nearly 200 aerospace companies including; Honda Aircraft, HAECO Americas, Cessna, North State Aviation, B/E Aerospace, Honda Aero and Federal Express. The Authority provides a complete line of aviation services, including air taxi service, aviation training and aircraft sales. Major passenger carriers include Delta, United, American, Allegiant, and most recently adding Silver Airlines with daily non stop flights from PTIA to both Nashville and Orlando beginning in June 2023. For the calendar year 2022, PTIA boarded 788,318 passengers, compared to 628,391 boarded passenger in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. During 2019, PTIA boarded 1,078,247 passengers, making 2019 the first time PTIA surpassed 1 million since 2008, when 1,109,100 passengers were boarded. Cargo traffic at the airport was up 2% for 2022

as compared to an increase of 61% in 2020, resulting from the pandemic. Passenger and cargo traffic for the seven months ended July 31, 2023 were up 19% and down 68%, respectively, compared to the same period last year, reflecting growing recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. PTIA’s 2022 capital improvement projects included; jet way foundation construction and installation of five jet ways with enclosed pedestrian bridges,

purchased for approximately $1.1 million, rebuilt overhead roadway at the departure level of the passenger terminal and an upgraded parking payment system. Construction of the new 180 feet tall control tower began in April 2019 and was operational in November 2022. The new tower replaced the old 90-foot-tall tower in operation since 1974, employs 52 FAA workers at the tower and was constructed at a cost of approximately $58 million. PTIA ranked as one of USA Today’s Top 10 Small Airports in the U.S. for both 2020 and 2021. The ranking compares U.S. airports that serve fewer than 10 million passengers annually while excelling in commercial flights, easy access and valuable services. The aviation industry is one of the critical business sectors of the Triad’s economic development strategy. With the ongoing collaboration of the public and private sector organizations and the educational community, the Triad is poised for strong future growth in aeronautics. Local aviation-related businesses draw heavily from the aviation workforce-training program at Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC) whose program has grown steadily in recent years. In 2014, GTCC completed a $10 million facility on a 23-acre campus at PTIA called Aviation III, to house its aviation management and pilot programs as well as customized industry

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