Moore County Economic Development Partnership (MCEDP) released its latest quarterly progress report, highlighting the organization’s accomplishments and economic development efforts during the quarter ended June 30.
“This quarter, MCEDP continued advancing initiatives that drive long-term growth for Moore County — responding to business leads; supporting manufacturers, particularly defense contractors, and other local businesses; and evaluating potential development sites our community needs to compete for investment,” said Natalie Hawkins, MCEDP president, in a press release. “We finished the fiscal year with slightly fewer new business leads than the previous year; however, our level of engagement with our existing industries remained exceptionally strong.”
Highlights this quarter included:
Project Activity / Business Recruitment & Support
*During the fourth quarter, MCEDP responded to 31 new business leads, bringing the fiscal year total to 140—just seven fewer than the previous fiscal year. As of June 30, MCEDP was actively working 25 projects that collectively represent the potential creation of more than 450 jobs and over $160 million in capital investment.
*Supporting existing businesses also remained a priority. MCEDP completed five industry visits during the quarter, finishing the fiscal year with 33 visits—well above its annual goal of 20. Conversations with local manufacturers continue to produce meaningful outcomes; most recently, MCEDP collaborated with Sandhills Community College in response to an identified workforce need for introductory training on SolidWorks, the 3-D CAD & engineering software.
*MCEDP also assisted Moore County and the Town of Robbins with a local incentives proposal approved to support the continued growth of OA Defense, a manufacturer of premium firearms in Robbins. Additional business engagement activities included coordinating a VIP tour of Amazon’s last-mile distribution facility in the Southern Pines Corporate Park, participating in the groundbreaking for new corporate hangars serving defense contractors Titan Echelon and AVA Technologies at Moore County Airport, and joining the First in Defense Coalition to strengthen North Carolina’s position in defense manufacturing and innovation.
Product Development
*Efforts to increase Moore County’s inventory of development-ready sites continued through participation in Duke Energy’s Site Readiness Program. During the quarter, MCEDP hosted engineers, consultants, utility providers, and community leaders for an evaluation of a 107-acre property in southern Moore County. The assessment concluded that with strategic infrastructure improvements, the property could become a competitive location for future industrial or business park development. MCEDP has commissioned an appraisal and will work closely with local government & other partners to fully evaluate the site’s long-term development potential.
*MCEDP also submitted Census Tract 9502.01 in northwestern Moore County that includes the Town of Robbins for consideration under the federal Opportunity Zones 2.0 initiative. If approved, the designation would become effective Jan. 1, 2027, and could help encourage future private investment by offering preferential federal tax incentives in that census tract.
Entrepreneurship & Community Development
MCEDP hosted monthly Moore Entrepreneurs Meetups throughout the quarter and concluded the initiative in June. The Meetups successfully created new opportunities for local entrepreneurs to connect, collaborate, and build relationships.
MCEDP continued to support efforts to restore commercial air service at Moore County Airport, this quarter collecting signed agreements from local businesses and individuals to formalize verbal pledges of funds for the minimum revenue guarantee needed. To date, $1.2 million in pledge agreements have been received.
Economic Health Dashboard
A comparison of the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2025, to the same quarter of the prior year showed a net increase of 2,702 jobs while average annual wages climbed to $61,048, an increase of just over 3%. Private-sector employment also expanded, and the unemployment rate remains at 3.2% (May 2026 rate).
Feature photo: OA Defense, a manufacturer of premium firearms in Robbins. Photo via Town of Robbins.
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