MBC and VEDP Kick Off the First Economic Development Summit for the Regional Backbone Initiative
January 18th, 2007
Mid-Atlantic Broadband Cooperative (MBC) and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) hosted an Economic Development Summit at Riverstone Technology Park in South Boston, Virginia. Attending the meeting were Economic Development Leaders within the Southern Virginia Region. Tad Deriso, General Manager of MBC, presented an overview of the Regional Backbone Initiative, discussed the operational and technical features as well as provided details on how local economic developers can market their properties to prospective industries. Tad Deriso stated that “MBC can be creative when it comes to attracting new industry and using the MBC Broadband network. Fiber or access may be part of an incentive package arrangement presented to the prospective industry.”
Following MBC’s presentation, Mr. Keith Boswell, Team Leader with Virginia Economic Development Partnership, presented an overview of why broadband is the critical infrastructure today, and highlighted some of the critical components that companies require when evaluating potential sites to locate their operations. Keith discussed aggressive activities at the State level that are focused on attracting companies to the Southern Virginia region.