NETWORKS recaps 2025 economic development highlights

BLOUNTVILLE — At Tuesday's NETWORKS Sullivan Partnership meeting, the organization reviewed some of its 2025 highlights. The NETWORKS Sullivan Partnership 2025 Annual Report highlighted new and expanded industries, opened businesses, property development, grant awards, this year's Northeast Tennessee Red Carpet Tour, partnership, marketing, workforce initiatives and more. Industry development NETWORKS CEO Clay Walker said there were fewer economic development announcements this year — but that doesn't mean there wasn't activity. "Over about 30 years of doing this, I'd say four of my top six years, I think I did my best jobs [in] very low announcement years," Walker said. "So much goes on behind the scenes, but we did welcome new industries and we saw new projects going up." O'Neal Manufacturing Service celebrated its Kingsport ribbon cutting in June 2025. The Times News previously reported this is the company's first facility in Tennessee and 10th metal fabrication location in North America. The event represented a $8.5 million investment to bring a new 41,000 square-foot steel fabrication plant with 29 new jobs. Premier Transportation is working on a new facility in Kingsport at 100 Breckenridge Trace, according to the report. Site plans and city approvals mid-2025 made way for the planned 7,000 square-foot operations center near the Interstate 26/Interstate 81 interchange. A.Y. McDonald Manufacturing started construction last year on its new Bristol,Tennessee, facility. In 2024, it was announced the company would relocate from Elizabethton to the Bristol Business Park. The move is expected to preserve 300 jobs and be a $53 million investment. Seaman Corporation also began construction on its Bristol expansion in 2025. The annual report states the project represented a $30 million investment in a new 350,000 square-foot manufacturing and distribution facility in Partnership Park II. Other projects mentioned in the annual report include: Kingsport's IMAX groundbreaking Kingsport's Rural King grand opening Kingsport's Dobyns-Taylor Warehouse redevelopment announcement Bluff City's South Fork Tap House opens New businesses along Bristol's Volunteer Parkway USAntibiotics partners with Walmart and McKesson Property development Three of the main property development sites listed in the report are Airport Parkway, Partnership Park II and Aerospace Park. The report states that NETWORKS acquired 41.41 acres along Airport Parkway in 2024 with plans to prepare the site for future industrial use. NETWORKS applied for a state site development grant at the end of last year and is waiting to hear back on the request. Kingsport Economic Development Director Steven Bower told the Times News last week there has been great interest in the Airport Parkway property. "We already have two clients looking at that property as it sits, which is great," Walker said. "One of those, I think we tie the grant into it. The other would just make it and run with it. So that would be absolutely incredible." For Partnership Park II, the report states NETWORKS continues its work on the site. The organization was able to secure an extension of the $1 million development grant through 2028 to advance and improve the site for years to come. The report mentions NETWORKS "remains actively engaged" with the Tri-Cities Airport to recruit new aerospace and aviation industries to the park, as well as supports the proposed hangar development project. To read the full annual report, visit networkstn.com/about/organization-materials. Other business Michael Parker, NETWORKS economic development director, said the organization submitted a letter of intent to participate in the state's property evaluation program. This would allow the state to bring in a third-party consultant to review submitted properties and see their feasibility for industrial development. "Site visits are expected to occur in June or July, over the summer, as weather cooperates," Parker said. "They'll be here for a handful of days to review sites. So we're working with our partners to identify land." Several town and city representatives for Sullivan County also shared updates of their own about recent happenings. Lori Staton, mayor of Bluff City, said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency granted the city technical assistance to help with its storm water system. She also shared plans to work on the city's park in the spring, along with being a part of the local America 250th anniversary committee. Bristol, Tennessee City Manager Kelli Bourgeois said there has been a flurry of both residential and commercial activity around town. She mentioned Explore Bristol's new visitor center just opened. She said in Virginia and Tennessee, both Bristol municipalities are looking to partner with East Tennessee State University in Johnson City on designs for future improvements to the West State Street corridor. Sullivan County Commission members Joyce Crosswhite, Sam Jones and Zane Vanover shared general updates about the county and Blountville area. Jones said several Kingsport officials met with the director of Tennessee State Veterans Homes on Tuesday. He said establishing a State Veterans Home in Kingsport would take "a lot of local investment."