Aurora Industrial Park funding secured, construction to begin

Published 10:12 am Monday, September 11, 2023

From the Town of Aurora

Aurora, NC – Aurora Mayor Clif Williams announced that the town has secured the final funding necessary to begin construction on the long-awaited Aurora Industrial Park.

Williams made the announcement Saturday, Sept. 9, during the town’s annual Aurora Fish and Farm Festival.

“I’m happy to report that the Aurora Industrial Park is fully funded, and construction will soon get underway. The project represents a $5 million investment in our town and a monumental achievement on the part of a dedicated team that has worked hard for the past eight years to make this happen,” Williams said.

The “team” includes state, county, and town officials, as well as expert consultants, who have all worked to assist Aurora in its revitalization and economic development efforts.

“I’d like to offer a special word of thanks to Nutrien which has provided expert and efficient support to make this happen. Nutrien is Beaufort County’s largest employer. Their role in and support of our community is indispensable. We look forward to further cooperation with Nutrien to make Aurora a place young couples with children will want to live,” Williams said.

The mayor said that roughly half of the total project funding will pay for infrastructure development – water, sewer, fiber optic, and roads – with the remainder going for construction of an Aurora campus of the Beaufort County Community College (BCCC).  The main mission for the new campus is to train welders, diesel mechanics, pipefitters, and others for skilled, well-paying jobs in support of industry and mining, although the campus will offer a wide variety of other courses to benefit the citizens of Richland Township and the surrounding areas.

Mayor Williams thanked the NC Department of Commerce, which provided $1.25 million; the Golden Leaf Foundation, which provided $700,000; and Beaufort County, which provided $650,000 for the Aurora Industrial Park. In addition, he said that approximately $2.5 million is being provided by the State of North Carolina to underwrite the cost of building the Aurora Campus of BCCC.

The East Group, land engineers for the town, recently issued a request for proposal and has identified a reputable bidder for infrastructure construction. The bidder estimates that it will take approximately 180 days to complete the project.  A formal groundbreaking ceremony will take place in October, although Williams said that construction is anticipated to begin later this month.