Economic Development: The Point Vision & Igniting Homegrown Growth

Jul 2

The Heart of the Matter

Lawrence County sits at one of the most strategic locations in the inland United States. We have the river, the rail, the highway, the industrial acreage, and a workforce that can compete with anyone. What we have not had is county leadership that treats filling those sites as a core responsibility.

That changes.

Our population has declined from 62,450 in 2010 to roughly 55,700 today. Official state projections show that without a change in direction, Lawrence County will fall to approximately 45,500 people within the next fifteen years. The only durable way to reverse that trend is to create good jobs here — the kind that let young people stay, raise families, and build a life in the place they already call home.

That requires both engines of growth running at full strength. The Point brings in the large-scale investment that only a site like ours can land. Ignite Lawrence grows what’s already here — the student with an idea, the welder in Chesapeake, the small-business owner in every township who has never had county government actively looking for them.

One engine recruits. The other seeks, connects, and builds from within. A county this size can’t afford to run on just one.

No Strings. No Secrets. No Standing By.

[Read the Full Economic Development Plan ↓]

How We Get It Done

The Problem

We sit inside the Port of Huntington Tri-State — the busiest inland port in America — yet our industrial parks remain underutilized while neighboring counties land the investments this region is built to attract. At the same time, we have talent and ideas in every school district and every township that no one in county government has systematically gone looking for. A county that only chases outside investment while ignoring its own people is leaving half its potential on the table.

The Assets

The Point Industrial Park is a 504-acre multi-modal site with direct Ohio River access, seven miles of rail, Interstate connectivity, and Foreign Trade Zone capability. It is positioned to serve as a tri-state intermodal hub that can move freight around the congestion of major metropolitan bottlenecks. Target industries include advanced manufacturing, logistics and distribution, energy, and the nuclear supply chain.

Together with Ironton Gateway, The District, and South Ironton, the county holds more than 700 developable acres. These are public assets that have sat underused for too long.

We also hold a competitive advantage few neighbors can match: a Recovery-to-Work pipeline that pairs sober, motivated workers with trades training through Collins Career Center. When employers ask for a ready workforce, we should be able to answer with numbers, not promises.

Lawrence Link

A free, public online platform where residents, students, farmers, and business owners can:

List what they already do, grow, or sell — including products or services, where they sell them, and when those products or services are available.
Post partnering opportunities for businesses looking to expand, explore new products or services, find suppliers, or team up with others in the county.
Connect with existing resources and potential partners without navigating multiple agencies.

It is not a new bureaucracy. It is a simple front door that makes the capacity already in this county visible and usable.

Lawrence County Future Founders

An annual business-plan competition open to every high school student in every district in the county. Local cash prizes, local judges, and a public pitch night give every participant visibility and a real head start.

The program is structured to prepare and support students who wish to compete in the regional Glockner Dare to Dream Competition. Students may enter in two ways:

Individual entries that compete only at the county level.
Team entries of 3–5 students that meet Dare to Dream requirements and can advance as Lawrence County representatives to the regional competition.

Top team finishers from the county pitch night can be positioned to compete regionally for a share of the larger Dare to Dream purse. Local winners receive county-level awards and mentorship; those who advance receive additional support before taking the regional stage.

This keeps the competition accessible to every student while giving our strongest team concepts a clear path to greater capital and exposure.

Trust Before Growth

Before we market these sites to the world, the people who live here deserve confidence that public dollars and public decisions are handled with care. A performance audit of process and spending is not a barrier to growth — it is the foundation that makes durable growth possible. If a strong opportunity arrives while that work is still underway, it will not receive a free pass. The full terms will be made public, dollar for dollar, before any decision is made.

Accountability and ambition are not opposites. They are the same responsibility.

Action Plan

Phase 1 — First 90 Days Request that all economic development partners undergo a full state performance audit of their finances and handling of public funds. Inventory every developable site, every active incentive, and every infrastructure gap. Stand up the Ignite Lawrence Task Force with representation from every school district, the Chamber, LEDC, parents, students, and local entrepreneurs.

Phase 2 — Six Months Update and actively market accurate site data to national site selectors. Begin rebuilding Port Authority performance expectations and clawback provisions. Personally pursue a seat for Lawrence County on the Ohio River Commission. Launch a pilot version of Lawrence Link.

Phase 3 — 6 to 18 Months Prioritize manufacturers, logistics firms, and energy-related companies that match our actual assets. Put the Recovery-to-Work workforce advantage on the table as a real differentiator. Run the first Future Founders competition — with both individual and team tracks — and support the top qualifying teams toward the Dare to Dream regional competition.

Phase 4 — 2 to 4 Years Advance a county-supported multimodal logistics hub at The Point. Align workforce training directly with employer demand through Collins Career Center, Ohio University Southern, and recovery partners. Pursue every available state and federal dollar for site readiness, rail, and last-mile connectivity. Expand Ignite Lawrence county-wide with a clear record of ideas connected, businesses launched, and young people who chose to stay.

The Outcome

Good jobs. A stronger tax base. A workforce ready to fill the positions that arrive. And a county where a high school student in Symmes Valley has a real shot at building a future here — the same shot we offer to any company considering The Point.

We have the river, the rail, the highway, and the people. What we have lacked is leadership willing to treat filling those sites and investing in our own talent as non-negotiable responsibilities.

That is the work.