With international attention, is Danville’s economy bouncing back?

BY SARAH ARKIN
Media General News Service
Published: June 25, 2008

As Danville and Pittsylvania County make front-page stories in national media outlets, city and county officials point out a beneficial correlation between positive media coverage and economic growth.

In just one month, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, The Washington Post and BusinessWeek ran features on the region’s collaboration and success in luring international companies and driving economic development.

Now, the Washington bureau of Al Jazeera television is considering Danville for a documentary on so-called reverse globalization - international companies moving into the United States and inverting the trend of global outsourcing that effectively devastated Danville’s economy.

“I definitely think that the announcements (of new international companies wanting to operate in Danville) and media coverage continue to feed one another,“ said Laurie Moran, president of the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce.

“The interest and inquiries that we have in this office continue to spike whenever there is media attention,“ she said. “I think there’s a direct correlation.“

In describing how “scrappy little Danville refused to give up on itself,“ The Washington Post used the opening of Swedwood, the manufacturing subsidiary of Swedish furniture retailer IKEA, to focus on the role of international companies in the revitalization of this former mill town.

Leading the story with Swedwood’s grand opening and quoting Swedwood officials singing Danville’s praises makes other companies interested in Southside, Danville Economic Development Director Jeremy Stratton said.

“It snowballed ever since the Swedwood grand opening,“ he said. “We’re getting a lot more attention in general. ...We’ll keep moving forward.“

With an international viewership, a potential Al Jazeera story highlights the truly global aspect of the area’s revitalization, city officials said.

“I think it’s indicative of what we’ve been able to achieve on a global level,“ said retiring Danville City Manager Jerry Gwaltney, who has traveled all over the world in hopes of convincing companies to set up shot in Danville.

“International recognition has helped,“ he said.

Sarah Arkin is a staff writer for the Danville Register & Bee in Danville, Va.