ROCKINGHAM — Although typically playing host to area children, Discovery Zone Kids hosted the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina for its quarterly retreat last Wednesday.
Coincidentally timed less than two weeks following the return of NASCAR to Rockingham Speedway, EDPNC officials and guests spent the day touring Richmond County before wrapping up at Discovery Zone Kids for a banquet celebrating EDPNC’s efforts in working with local and state government to help businesses launch, grow and locate to North Carolina.
“We started today at noon at the [Rockingham Dragway]. We had lunch there, and ride-alongs. Dan VanHorn, the owner, even did ride-alongs in his car and several of his friends,” said Meghann Lambeth, executive director of Richmond County Tourism Authority.
From there, EDPNC officials visited the Rockingham Speedway, which will host NASCAR Xfinity Series and a Craftsman Truck Series race series next Spring, where they met with Warriors in Motion, a local not-for-profit group that provides programs supporting combat veterans, who also provided ride-alongs to EDPNC officials brave enough to ride shotgun on a road course.
“It was so invigorating. [Warriors in Motion] is amazing. This group (EDPNC) has been thoroughly entertained today. Now, it’s culminating with a reception here [Wednesday] and [Thursday] they will have a meeting at Cole Auditorium,” Lambeth said. “It’s perfect (timing). This has been in the works since last fall. Gene McLauren, who is our local chair for the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina. He talked to me last November saying ‘I want to bring this to Richmond County. The EDPNC retreat has never been hosted here, so it would be a big deal.’ That was before so many huge things were announced, so it was absolutely perfect timing,”
Lambeth said.
Lambeth said hosting events such as the EDNPC quarterly retreat keeps Richmond County in the minds of EDPNC when it comes to future collaborations of businesses, as well as state and local officials. With Richmond County recently reaffirming its place in NASCAR history, the renovation of Discovery Kids Place, the Rockingham Dragway and ongoing renovations to Rockingham Speedway, Lambeth hopes the EDPNC’s visit does not reflect the just the snowball of momentum from multi-year process of renovations, but an avalanche of possibilities Richmond County offers potential businesses and event promoters.
“We have so much to be proud of, so much to show off. To see the look on everyone else’s faces, we see it every day and we’re excited about it. But to see these strangers say ‘Wow, this is what you have going on here.’ That’s icing on the cake,” Lambeth said. “It’s monumental. Everything is about networking. I don’t care what your position is. It’s about knowing the people that really get it done … Just meeting my counterparts across the state, finding out what they’re doing and seeing what’s going on there. That’s what it takes to grow us to the next level. It’s just getting out there and me not only preaching to our established choir, but adding new members.”