►
Description
On the latest episode of Chesterfield Behind the Mic, we talk to Garrett Hart, the director of economic development, about what was a massive year for Chesterfield with big announcements and lots more likely coming our way in 2023 and beyond.
Credits:
Director: Martin Stith
Executive Producer: Teresa Bonifas
Producer/Writer/Host: Brad Franklin
Director of Photography/Editor: Matt Boyce
Producer/Camera Operator: Martin Stith and Matt Neese
Graphics: Debbie Wrenn
Promotions and Media: J. Elias O’Neal and Elizabeth Hart
Music:
Hip Hop This by Seven Pounds
Inspiring Electronic Rock by Alex Grohl
Guests:
Garrett Hart, Director of Economic Development
Filmed in-house by the Department of Communications and Media
Chesterfield.gov/podcast
Follow us on social media! On Facebook, like our page: Chesterfield Behind the Mic. On Twitter, you can find us at @ChesterfieldVa and on Instagram it’s @ChesterfieldVirginia. And you can also watch the podcast on WCCT TV Thursday through Sunday at 7 p.m. as well as on weekends at noon on Comcast Channel 98 and Verizon Channel 28.
A
Good
evening
good
afternoon,
wherever
it
is
that
you
are
wherever
you
may
be,
thank
you
very
much
for
making
us
a
part
of
your
day.
I
am
Brad
Frank
I'm,
the
creative
content
writer
here
in
Chesterfield
and
I'm
very
glad
to
tell
you
that
Chesterfield
behind
the
mic
is
on
the
air.
Once
again,
it
has
been
a
pretty
banner
year
for
economic
development
in
Chesterfield,
County
and
I
thought.
A
It
was
a
good
time
to
talk
a
little
bit
about
that
and
what
and
not
only
what
2022
has
brought
the
announcements
and
the
different
developments
and
things
of
that
nature,
but
also
you
know
going
into
2023
and
what's
ahead,
so
I'm
very
happy
to
welcome
Garrett
Hart,
who
is
the
director
of
Economic
Development
here
in
the
podcast
Garrett?
How
are
you,
sir
I
am
well.
A
To
have
you
very
much
appreciate
your
time?
Obviously
it
economic
development's
been
pretty
busy
in
2022
I
would
I
would
say
that
you
probably
haven't
had
a
year
like
this
in
a
long
time,
if
ever
in
general,
though,
before
we
get
into
sort
of
your
background
and
everything
I'm
just
curious,
what
is
it
as
you
look
back
on
it?
What's
it
what's,
it
feel
like
to
have
the
year
that
Economic
Development
had.
B
A
Here,
I
think
it's
also
important
too
and
and
we'll
get
to
this
in
a
second
just
because
these
things
don't
happen
overnight.
Right,
there's
a
lot
of
work
that
goes
into
getting
things
lined
up
before
you
can
get
to.
You
know
a
Podium
where
the
governor
comes
and
says:
hey,
look!
This
amazing
thing
is
about
to
happen,
but
you
mentioned
40
years
Garrett
how
you
know
for
folks
who
who
maybe
are
unfamiliar?
How
exactly
did
you
get
into
this
line
of
work?
B
I
graduated
college
many
many
years
ago
and
came
out
into
a
middle
of
a
recession
yeah
and
went
to
work
for
my
the
town
where
I
I
grew
up
in
the
county
for
the
town
as
the
first
town
manager
they
ever
had.
Okay,
so
I
it
was
the
first
town
manager
they
had.
It
was
the
first
job
I
ever
had.
We
learned
how
to
do
it
together
and
from
there
I
became
the
candy
administrator,
New,
Kent
and.
A
B
A
And
as
they
say
that
that
hit
the
rest
was
history
right
in
terms
of
I
I
know
this
might
sound
like
a
silly
question,
but
I
think
for
some
people.
The
idea
of
you
know
what
economic
development
is
can
have
different
meanings.
I'm
just
curious
to
get
sort
of
your
point
of
view
on
how
you
would
kind
of
describe
what
economic
development
is
and
what
it
means
to
a
place
like
Chesterfield,
County,
sure.
B
There
are
two
major
points
or
missions
of
Economic
Development.
The
first
is
to
increase
the
tax
base
to
pay
for
public
services
like
schools,
fire
stations,
police
and
all
the
other
one
Parks
and
Rec
all
the
other,
wonderful
things,
Chesterfield
economy
supplies
right.
So
our
goal
is
to
increase
the
commercial
tax
base
so
that
the
burden
of
paying
for
all
of
those
things
don't
fall
so
much
on
the
homeowner.
A
A
Right
now,
in
terms
of
what
what
you
guys
do,
obviously
the
announcements
that
were
made
thus
far
in
2022
I
mean
unless
you
got
something
as
we
record
this
here
early
December.
Unless
you
got
something
up
your
sleeve
for
the
rest
of
the
year,
but
yeah
in
terms
of
the
announcements
that
have
been
made.
There
are
absolutely
you
know,
game
changers
for
Chesterfield
and
I
I'm
curious
to
get
sort
of.
You
know
something
like
Lego.
A
Let's,
let's
start
there,
obviously
the
biggest
of
Big
Ticket
items
Lego
is
going
to
bring
its
first
U.S
manufacturing
plane
here
to
Chesterfield
County
1.7
million
square
feet
in
Meadowville.
I
mean
what
give
me
in
terms
of
the
background
on
that
one.
How
long
did
you
guys
work
on
that
one,
and
what's
it
like
to
to
bring
something
like
Lego
to
Chesterfield.
B
B
A
B
Ready
to
to
start
a
facility
and
in
the
U.S
right
it
it
was
a
you
know,
it
was,
it
was
very
it
moved.
They
had
multiple
Consultants
working
on
multiple
things,
so
we
were
answering
multiple
issues,
incentives,
location
power,
we're
doing
multiple
things
at
the
same
time,
so
that
compressed
the
problem
right
and
what
we
have
found
in
covet
as
part
of
this
is
a
company
and
its
Consultants
will
do
a
lot
of
work
before
they
get
to
you
right.
A
B
A
B
Know
along
the
95
Corridor
that
could
handle
it
and
because
of
the
commitment
of
previous
Boards
of
Supervisors
and
eda's
and
previous,
you
know:
Economic
Development
directors,
medevale
was
created
right
and
we
had
340
Acres,
which
is
big
enough
for
the
project
right.
We
had.
The
county
had
spent
money
to
put
water
and
sewer
and
roads
in
place,
so
it
was
ready
to
go
so
we
had
a
site
that
met
their
criteria
right,
including
the
the
solar
right.
It
takes
up
so
much
space.
So
you
know
we.
B
B
A
A
Great
so,
let's
see
7.1
million
annually
expected
in
terms
of
it'll
be
basically
Chester's
largest
taxpayer.
Once
the
facilities
operational
generate
more
than
three
thirty
three
hundred
direct
indirect
and
induced
jobs,
nearly
227
million
annual
wages
in
in
your
experience,
obviously,
things
have
changed
over
the
years
right.
We
think
of
manufacturing
as
being
and
I've
talked
with
other
guests
on
the
podcast
about
this
in
the
past
we
think
of
manufacturing
being
like
you
know,
smoke
stacks
and
you
know
your
back
hurts
and
stuff.
These
are
clean
facilities.
A
Where
you
know
you
could
literally
eat
something
off
the
floor
kind
of
stuff
and
I'm
just
curious
in
your
experience.
You
know,
given
the
way
that
things
have
changed,
you
bring
bring
a
company
like
this
in
to
do
a
job.
The
potential
for
high
paying
good
quality
jobs
that
come
from
this
is
just
you
know
astronomical
when
you
think
about
just
a
number
of
people
that
it
could
impact
here
in
Chesterfield,
yeah.
A
B
And
it's
just
so
much
spin-off,
so
it
is.
It
is
a
a
game
changer,
as
you
had
said
earlier,
for
the
particularly
the
area
of
the
Meadowville
area,
but
right
all
of
Chester
and
then
Chesterfield
right
it
and
they
are
really
high
quality
jobs
right
people
in
in
golf
shirts
and
slacks,
taking
care
of
the
machines
that
actually
do
the
work
right
and
other
than
with
Lego
they're
going
to
have
very
unique
buildings
with
solar
on
top
and.
A
A
A
B
Right
so
and
that's
where
we've
we've
grown
to
manufacturing
being
a
clean
and
safe
and
and
Chesterfield
has
known
for
a
long
time
that
manufacturings
are
good
jobs
right
I
mean
we've
got
Dupont
we're.
You
know
we
got
one
of
the
largest
manufacturing
payrolls
of
any
locality
in
Virginia
right
and
that's
because
we've
got
generational
manufacturers.
A
B
A
B
It
it
has,
you
know
it
has
potential
to
sell
Chesterfield
to
other
businesses
and
people
doing
tourism
right
and
wanting
to
visit
and
wanting
to
live
here
right.
It's
the
home
of
Lego
right
exactly
and
the
thing
that
gets
me
all
emotional
is
one
of
the
most
beloved
toys
in
all
the
world.
Right
will
be
made
right
here
and.
A
A
I
want
to
talk
about
which
for
folks
who
aren't
aware
of
what
plenty
is
it's
a
california-based
indoor,
vertical
farming
company,
so
basically
they
Farm
inside
and
they've
got
a
whole
bunch
of
you
know
slew
of
patents
and
all
the
stuff
that
you
know
the
way
they
do
it.
But
this
is
300
jobs,
300
million
dollars
into
the
technology
park.
A
You
know
it's.
It's
very
interesting
to
think
that,
like,
on
the
one
hand,
you've
got
Lego
like
you
said
this
beloved
toy
people
around
the
world
are
going
to
use
play
collect.
You
know
Lego
that
are
built
here
in
Chesterfield,
also
for
the
Lego
people
out
there
notice
I,
said
Lego
and
not
Legos,
because
that's
apparently
like
a
very
real
thing,
but
here
plenty
is
which
is
this
like
Cutting,
Edge,
sort
of
new
technology
to
to
farm
indoor,
vertical
stuff
and
I'm.
Just
curious.
A
Give
me
a
little
bit
of
background
on
that
and
the
Civic
a
deal
that
sort
of
went
with
it
in
July,
which
was
a
27,
a
point:
eight
million
dollars
for
our
new
testing
facility.
That's
a
non-profit
generic
drug
company,
so
51
jobs
there
for
r
d
in
Meadowville.
But
for
that
project
you
know
how
long
was
what
was
the
sort
of
runway
for
that.
B
A
B
You
know
I
mean
Legos
carbon
neutral
tree
replacement
and
everything
plenty
is
a
sustainable
way
to
feed
more
people
to
to
feed
people
closer
to
have
their
their
vegetables
grown
closer
to
where
they
live
right,
higher
quality,
more
sustainable,
very
little
water
use,
reduced
Trucking
and
all
that,
but
this
will
be.
The
Plenty
will
be
the
largest
vertical
Farm
operation
in
the
United
States
it'll
be
the
first
at
scale.
A
B
B
Frame
the
first
operation,
it
will
be
a
worldwide
phenomony
and
will
grow
into
other
places,
but
we'll
be
the
first
and
we'll
have
a
large
will
be
a
large
part
of
that
that
growth
and
then
you
look
at
civica
they're.
A
non-profit.
Their
goal
in
life
is
to
is
to
create
medicines
more
efficiently
to
lower
the
cost
and
raise
the
quality
for
all
of
the
people
in
this
country.
B
Of
of
VCU
scientists
and
fellow
Richmond
region
people
for
us
to
get
the
first
lab
and
to
be
part
of
that
right,
foretells,
the
future
of
the
growth
of
that
sector
right
in
in
Chesterfield,
but
they're
all
just
unique
projects
in
their
own
amazing
to
have
them
all
occur
in
the
same
year.
Right
plenty
took
a
little
bit
longer
than
than
Lego.
A
B
B
A
So
now
we're
up
to
like
2,
000
plus
I
mean
you're
talking,
I
mean
you're
you're
talking
thousands
and
thousands
of
direct.
You
know
you
mentioned
indirect
before
we
we
move
on
to
some
some
of
the
other
things.
I
do
also
want
to
mention
spring
Rock
green
Collins,
Enterprises,
going
to
develop
initial
phase
of
this
residential
commercial
properties.
This
mixed-use
development
off
Midlothian,
Turnpike,
33
residential
units,
27
000
square
feet,
total
investment.
It's
I
think
75
million
dollars
mid
2024
for
completion
mixed
use
development.
A
You
know,
even
for
my
days
back
when
I
worked
at
the
newspaper
in
Hanover,
like
it
was
always
this
thing
that
people
talked
about
and
now
it's
this
thing
that's
like
really
happening
and
certainly
is
a
a
focal
point
for
a
lot
of
different
places.
What
was
what
was
so
important,
you
think
about
spring
Rock
Green
in
this
one.
Well,.
B
B
To
120
some
million
dollars
in
capital
investment
now
and
up
in
you
know,
hundreds
of
jobs
right
spring,
Rock
green,
being
right
across
the
street,
is
obviously
the
next
opportunity
to
do
so
right.
We
were
able
to
reach
an
accommodation
with
the
owner
who
was
had
a
rentable
mall,
but
did
was
not
in
encouraged
to
to
do
what
the
vision
we
had
for.
B
The
real
driver
for
all
of
this
and
it's
the
private
sector,
is
doing
it,
we're
doing
it
and
then
we're
winning
is
to
attract
people
to
the
region
right
and
the
reason
we
want
to
attract
people
to
the
region
is
we
want
to
attract
their
skills
and
their
talents
right
and
Chesterfield
has
long
been
a
place
where
people
love
to
live
right,
mostly
single-family
development,
but
because
of
our
schools
and
our
police
and
our
parks
and
our
libraries.
It
is
a
place
where
people
want
to
raise
their
family
and
be.
B
We
have
long
been
that,
but
we
have
not
until
of
recent
times.
Ben
had
forms
of
housing
that
everybody
wants
right,
primarily
apartments
and
Condominiums
and
so
forth.
So
the
mixed
use
of
houses
that
we
need
right
and
we
are
starting
we're
getting
those
in
a
big
way
right
now,
but
they're
most
successful
when
they're,
combined
with
a
walkable,
playable
Community
right,
so
that
you
can
come
from
your
apartment
or
your
condo.
You
can
go
to
dinner
and
you
can
walk
back
home.
B
A
A
B
A
B
A
Mentioned
a
second
ago,
you
know
the
idea
of
looking,
you
know
looking
at
for
ice,
and
you
know
the
different
events
and
stuff
and
that
kind
of
takes
me
to
sort
of
like
what's
ahead,
I
mean
at
this
point:
we've
replaced
all
the
jobs
that
we
lost
during
the
pandemic,
we're
on
the
cusp
of
having
the
largest
Workforce
in
Chesterfield
history.
We've
already
got
the
largest
number
of
businesses
in
Chesterfield
history,
I.
A
Think
the
the
number
you
guys
quoted
earlier
this
year
was
from
9
700
in
June
2021
to
10
and
200
some
in
March
of
2022..
So
obviously
the
things
are
really.
You
know
you
know
things
are
really
cooking,
so
to
speak,
right,
Sports,
tourism.
Obviously
a
big
focal
point
for
for
your
folks,
and
certainly
for
the
county
as
a
whole.
In
terms
of
you
know,
they're,
on
the
one
hand,
there's
the
idea
of
paying.
A
You
know
the
tax
base,
improving
it
so
that
you
know
you
can
have
the
services
and
stuff
for
residents
well.
This
is
another
way
to
do
that
in
a
different
kind
of
Avenue.
Right
right
is
that
you
bring
the
people
in
to
spend
their
money
while
they're
here
and
then
they
don't
have
to
go
to
school
here.
They
don't
necessarily
need
the
libraries
and
stuff
and
that's
safe
for
the
folks
who
do
live
here.
How
big
of
an
impact
does
Sports
tourism
have,
and
what
do
you
see
for
the
future?
Yeah.
B
The
sports
tourism
is
just
it's
almost
a
force
multiplier
and
how
it
works.
It's
you
know
the
tournaments,
make
money
and
and
bring
people
here
to
spend
their
money
right,
but
those
facilities
are
used
by
parks
and
recs
during
the
week
and
when
there's
not
a
tournament
by
our
County
Citizens
right,
so
they
get
to
use
them
and
but
they're
paid
for
by
other
people
visiting.
B
It's
really
great,
you
know,
and
it's
it
was.
You
know
it
was
30
million
over
30
million
in
direct
investment
in
the
county
last
year.
Right
and
it's
just
going
to
continue
to
get
bigger.
Parks
and
Rec
is
investing
quite
a
bit
of
money
in
upgrading
the
the
facilities
and
adding
more
fields
and
parking
and
commissary
and
so
forth.
I
I
I
joke
with
them
all
the
time,
because
when
we
first
got
this
started,
I
took
that
facility
is
like
being
in
a
theme
park
business.
A
A
B
And
with
the
genital
area
plan
focusing
on
that,
with
the
lake
coming
on
board
right,
expanding
the
opportunity
for
people
to
enjoy
their
experience
when
they
visit
here
and
for
our
citizens
to
join
their
experience
there
is
you
know
it's
going
to
continue
to
grow
through
that
plan.
The
other
thing
that's
going
on.
That's
really
well
is
Hospitality.
Yeah
yeah,
the
hotels
in
Chesterfield
are
doing
really
really
well
we'll
have
a
brand
new
25
000
square
foot,
Conference
Center
with
260
rooms
in
Stonebridge
great
ground.
This
fall.
A
Now
you
mentioned
just
a
second
ago:
the
special
Focus
area
plan
and
I,
real,
quick,
real,
quick
I
just
want
to
get
you
out
here
on
this
one.
The
you
know.
Obviously
2023
is
right
around
the
corner
upper
mag,
a
huge
development
for
not
just
now,
but
for
the
future
I'm
just
curious
in
your
crystal
ball.
What
does
2023
look
like
I
mean
you,
you
and
I
talked
the
other
day.
We
joked
that
you
know
anybody
who
thinks
there's
going
to
be
another
2022.,
be
careful,
there's
not
a
lot
of
Legos.
A
B
In
sure
we're
looking
forward
to
continuing
to
move
upper
mag
into
a
position
where
it
can
be
very,
very
competitive
to
Move
It
from
what
they
call
a
tier
three
to
a
tier
four
and
then
to
a
tier
five.
So
the
state
can
continue
to
offer
it
from
her.
It
is
clearly
one
of
the
finest
locations
for
a
Fab
plant
right
or
semiconductor
Fab
plant.
We
have
the
ability
to
bring
the
workforce
there.
We
have
the
ability
to
bring
the
power
and
we're
in
sewer
to
that
location.
B
A
B
Large
pharmaceutical
manufacturing
could
go
at
an
up.
You
know
an
upper
mag
as
well.
We
are,
we
are
proceeding
to
do
do
with
the
zoning
ordinance,
the
process
that
we
said,
which
is
to
do
a
strategic
plan.
Lay
It,
All
Out,
get
some
time
and
and
then
start
figuring
out
how
to
improve
it,
including
the
completion
of
the
poet
Parkway
and
how
all
that
works
out
right.
B
So
we're
going
to
Market
it
while
the
same
time
we're
making
it
better
very
much
the
the
Meadowville
model
right
Meadowville
was
it's
time
a
Fab
location
for
public
experience.
It
moved
into
a
multi-tenant
park.
This
park
could,
in
the
future,
be
a
mall
Titanic
Park.
Should
we
not
locate
a
very
large
or
we've
got
enough
room
to
locate
one
very
large
and
a
whole
lot
of
people
that
that
surround
them
right,
but
we'll
continue
to
position
that
and
add
new
assets.
B
You
know
we
didn't
do
the
roads
in
the
beginning
of
medevale
that
came
along
and
then
the
water
in
the
sewer
and
you
just
with
each
year.
You
invest
until
you've
got
a
product,
that's
better
than
everybody
else's,
which
meta
very
clearly
is,
and
upper
mag
will
be
right,
and
this
in
in
my
parlance
it's
it's
allowing
us
this
Board
of
Supervisors,
this
Eda,
this
Department
of
Economic
Development,
to
lay
the
table,
set
the
table
for
the
future
right.
B
So
so
so
the
future
God
has
got
my
position
or
a
lady.
That's
got
my
position.
The
future
team.
The
future
boards
will
have
something
to
sell
right
and
it's
something
to
compete.
It's
the
way
economic
development
is
going
speed
and
lack
of
risk
are
the
two
key
elements
right
and
the
way
you
win.
That
game
is
to
own
for
the
locality
to
own
the
land.
A
B
And
to
be
in
control
of
it
right
not
to
say
that
we
don't
have
a
lot
of
private
sector
developers
right
a
lot
of
good
things
out
here.
There's
five
million
square
feet
of
spec
development.
That's
going
to
be
constructed
in
the
next
two
years
or
to
three
in
Chesterfield.
You
know
5
million
square
feet
of
development.
Is
it's
about
one
job
per
thousand
square
feet?
That's
5,
000
jobs
that
we
know
will
be
created
from
that
process.
B
A
B
You
know
I
see
the
small
businesses
we're
going
to
continue
to
work
really
hard,
we're
small
businesses.
Small
businesses
struggled
during
covet
yeah,
but
they
got
smarter.
They
got
leaner.
They
got
really
creative
and
they're,
taking
all
of
that
that
they
learned
right
and
they're
expanding
with
it.
They're
they're,
repeating
it
right,
they're
doing
these
things,
so
we
could
consider
consider
continue
to
see
small
business
growth
and
other
opportunities
for
for
things
that
we
don't
have
in
Chesterfield
now,
Services,
primarily
restaurants,
entertainment,
good.
A
A
A
All
right
make
sure
you
check
us
out
on
social
media
on
Twitter
it's
at
chesterva
on
Instagram,
it's
Chesterfield
Virginia.
All
one
word:
you
can
also
search
us
out
on
Facebook,
just
search
chessful
behind
the
mic.
Make
sure
you
like
that
page
to
keep
up
with
us
as
we
go
forward
now.
Let
me
tell
you
about
all
the
ways
you
can
check
us
out.
You
can
watch
us
on
our
YouTube
channel
as
well
as
on
our
website.
Chessfield.Gov,
podcast
and
audio.
A
Only
version
of
the
show
is
available
there,
as
well
as
on
Apple
podcast,
Spotify,
Google,
podcast,
overcast
and
a
whole
host
of
other
services.
You
can
also
watch
the
podcast
on
wcct
Thursday
through
Sunday,
at
7
on
the
weekends
at
noon.
That's
Comcast,
channel,
98
and
Verizon
Channel
28
and,
lastly,
you
can
check
out
chesterfield.gov
connect
with
us
for
more
ways
for
you
to
get
in
touch
with
us
for
us
to
get
in
touch
with
you.
A
My
thanks
to
my
director,
Martin
Stith,
our
executive
producer,
Teresa,
Boniface
and
almond
crew
here
from
communication
media
for
making
this
possible,
and
my
thanks
to
you
very
much
for
joining
us
today.
So
from
all
of
us
here
in
Chesterfield
County,
thank
you
very
much
for
making
us
part
of
your
day.
See
you
again
real
soon
take
good
care
foreign.