Horry County’s chief executive for economic development said the situation involving AvCraft Technical Services being awarded a $100,000 incentives package by Horry County Council in December, only to have it taken off the table at Tuesday’s meeting, could impact negotiations with other prospective businesses down the road.
Brad Lofton -- chief executive of the Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corp., which brought the AvCraft incentives package to the council -- said Wednesday businesses that consider setting up shop in Horry County will undoubtedly research the area and see how it treats existing industry.
If there are media reports that document some type of issue with an existing company -- as is the case with AvCraft -- it could be a road block to luring new jobs, Lofton said.
He added that other prospects the EDC is talking with are monitoring the AvCraft situation and awaiting the outcome.
For Lofton, it’s an outcome he feels will be positive.
“We’re trying to just stay out of politics, keep our heads down and just focus on job creation,” Lofton said. “We continue to stand proudly behind AvCraft.”
The AvCraft incentives will be discussed again at the Jan. 17 Committee of the Whole meeting.
Councilman Jody Prince brought forth the motion Tuesday night and said the COW meeting is a perfect forum for council members to see a presentation that lets everyone know the company’s plans.
Prince said his fear is that anyone who has followed media accounts over the past few weeks has gotten a history lesson on AvCraft that may be less than appealing.
“The last thing that I want is to jeopardize, in any manner, our investment,” Prince said.
Lofton said this is a unique case, and one in which there was some additional clarification needed for the County Council.
Most council members did not know until after the incentives were approved that AvCraft – an aircraft maintenance and repair business that has fallen short of employment goals in the past – was the recipient. Council members learned about that during a Dec. 13 meeting in Conway. The company plans is to expand its business at Myrtle Beach International Airport.
Councilmembers now know that AvCraft laid off about 20 employees over the last month, even while seeking financial incentives for a promised 150-job expansion over the next five years.
Like Lofton, AvCraft CEO Mike Hill is confident the ship will right itself after the Jan. 17 presentation at the COW meeting.
“Essentially, (I) understood what was going to occur last night. We certainly welcome the opportunity to meet with the COW and share what our business plans are,” Hill said. “I think everyone that has had the privilege to see what our business plans are ... has come away with confidence that we are a good fit and a good investment on Horry County’s part.”
Hill said the ordeal has been a learning experience for all those involved. He added that the biggest lesson is better communication going forward.
“We just need to make sure we communicate better with the county,” Lofton said.
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