Sierra Nevada Brewing sells its beer in all fifty states, and has sold increasingly more over the last few years. Not surprisingly, there have been rumors circulating for some time about them building a brewery farther east, in such places as Tennessee and Virginia. It seems they had also identified a site in Black Mountain, North Carolina, which is near Asheville. Sierra Nevada had been considering building there “a beer facility and retail outlet that would employ as many as 140 people.” According to ABC Channel 13 in Western North Carolina, “[t]he company requested an interchange at Blue Ridge Road and Interstate 40. The Black Mountain town board asked the state to build it in hopes of luring the business but, it was not approved by the North Carolina Department of Transportation.” No word as to why the state would turn down the request.
Probably the state doesn’t want to do it because it would cost several hundred million dollars and they don’t think that’s a good investment for a project that will generate only 140 jobs. It would take a lot more effort than a simple request by the town board, that’s for sure. See http://www.baconsrebellion.com/2011/11/the-politics-of-interstate-interchange-construction.html for a discussion of a similar issue in another state.
Maybe, but in a town of 7,500 or so, 140 jobs seems like quite a lot. And there would certainly be additional benefits for any town having better access to highways. I don’t really have a dog in this fight, but states have often spent much more for a lot less.
There’s an interchange there already. I’m guessing they are asking for an larger volume exit.
I also find it interesting that New Belgium is looking to do the same in/around Asheville as well.
Seems shortsighted to me, too. Sadly, they won’t be coming south to GA, where and interchange probably wouldn’t have been a problem, but antiquated alcohol laws are still a big stumbling block for craft breweries.