City of Hickory Business e-Newsletter | October 2022
Crafting Hickory Magazine
Have you read it yet? On September 18, the City of Hickory released a new issue of its popular Crafting Hickory Magazine. The fourth edition in the magazine series, the new Crafting Hickory Magazine focuses on how the City of Hickory continues to craft a strong, vibrant community through its bond projects, new housing opportunities, economic development, education, and workforce development. Printed copies of the magazine can be picked up at the Julian G. Whitener Municipal Building located at 76 North Center Street in Hickory.
Hickory Metro Convention Center Expansion Moves Forward
Hickory-Conover Tourism Development Authority (HCTDA), Hickory City Council, and Conover City Council held a special meeting on September 15 to approve a joint resolution which supports an expansion and renovation to the Hickory Metro Convention Center. Hickory Construction Company was the low bidder for the project at $14,040,000 and the Councils approved to award them the bid. The project will be paid for by Hickory and Conover room occupancy tax revenues.
Once completed, the Hickory Metro Convention Center facility will be approximately 165,600 square feet all on one level with 132,000 usable square feet for meetings and events. There will be approximately 110,000 square feet of interconnected flat floor exhibit space along with ancillary small meeting rooms and pre-function spaces.
The City of Hickory is partnering with the Sabre Society of North Carolina/Hickory Aviation Museum and Catawba Valley Community College to construct a building to house the museum's vintage military aircraft, preserve aviation history, and provide STEM education and workforce development opportunities. You can help us create an elevated aviation experience by making a tax-deductible donation towards the new Hickory Aviation Museum.
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Cooperative Extension office, Cherokee Chamber of Commerce, and EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems will host the Inaugural Food Truck Boot Camp November 7-10 in Cherokee, North Carolina!
The boot camp training will cover regulations, marketing, menu creation, financing, food truck equipment, internal truck layout, and individual coaching from the best in the food truck business. One-on-one counseling will also be available from the Street Food Institute from New Mexico.
The City of Hickory is committed to promoting business and economic development and offers a range of incentives to new and expanding businesses. For more information on available programs and incentives, visit Business Developmentor contact Dave Leonetti in the Office of Business Development at 828-323-7422.
