business environment

Home to internationally recognized industries, Greenville is the economic center of the Upstate. Greenville’s ability to attract both small local companies and major international corporations is the result of an uncommon cooperation between city government and the private sector. Recognized as a leader in developing public/private partnerships, Greenville’s entrepreneurial spirit and strong workforce creates an incredible magnet for business. In addition, Greenville is located in the heart of a right-to-work state and a foreign trade zone.

With more than 250 international firms, the Upstate boasts the highest international investment per capita in the nation. Greenville is home to such international corporations as Fluor, and Bowater, with BMW and Michelin North America located nearby.

Having annexed more than 1,720 acres of prime development property since 2002, Greenville is at the cutting edge of new economic development opportunities. Along with the creation of the Millennium Campus, a private R&D development, and the International Center for Automotive Research, a public-private joint venture focused on automotive systems integration, developers are ready to bring many new industries to town.

Greenville also serves as the retail hub of the Upstate. Retail sales in 2008 totaled at more than $1.2 billion with restaurant sales at over $277 million. Haywood Mall, the shops at Greenridge and The Point, and the surrounding shopping districts, draw shoppers from the entire Upstate region. In addition, Greenville is the financial hub with virtually every major bank in the Southeast maintaining a presence in downtown, with a number of banks maintaining their South Carolina headquarters.

location
Greenville is located in the northwestern corner of South Carolina along I-85, one of the busiest interstates in the nation. The area, commonly referred to as the Upstate, is centrally situated between two of the largest cities in the Southeast, Charlotte and Atlanta, and is one of the most rapidly growing areas of the country and the fastest in the state.

quality of life
Located in the beautiful setting of the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Greenville offers a relaxed lifestyle, with an award winning downtown, mild climate, great schools, access to spectacular natural amenities and a thriving arts and cultural community. Greenville is a metropolitan city that understands the meaning of community. Click here for more information.

transportation
Strategically situated along the mega-growth I-85 corridor, between Atlanta, GA and Charlotte, NC, Greenville is easily accessible through a multi-modal network. Greenville is located 100 miles from the capitol city of Columbia and only 200 miles from the Port City of Charleston. Click here for more information.