Chris Woodson
263 jobs created, more than $215 million in economic impact in Union County between 2017-2021
In an article released by Spartanburg Community College, it reports that in March, Spartanburg Community College held the inaugural SCC Impact celebration event at the Spartanburg Marriot. Hosted by the SCC Foundation, the celebratory event was a reimagined version of the College’s longstanding annual “Economic Visionaries” event, and featured guest speakers who enumerated on each of the three key areas where the college has an impact: Students, Careers, and Community.
The event concluded with a surprise announcement of a new economic impact study showing Spartanburg Community College had an economic impact of $35.4 billion to the state of South Carolina since 2007, with the innovative Spark Center playing a crucial role in the creation of more than 109,000 jobs over that same time.
Over the course of five years between 2017 and 2021, SCC alone has contributed:
• $17.8 million to the economy and created 263 jobs in Union County
Over that time span, the Spark Center alone has contributed:
• $198 million to Union County.
Broken down, the Spark Center provides a yearly average of $39.6 million to Union County.
In a statement issued by SCC President Dr. Michael Mikota, he said, "Numbers and data speak volumes, and in all of these examples I have shared, the obvious fact is Spartanburg Community College – in collaboration with our many partners -- is one of the most significant drivers of our local economies."
WBCU also spoke with Dolton Williams, Executive Director of the Union County Development Board, and here is what he had to say about the economic impact of Spartanburg Community College on Union County:
(audio below story)