Fujifilm Diosynth just announced plans to expand in North Carolina with a $1.2 billion investment, creating 680 new jobs with an average salary exceeding $109,000.

This expansion is supported by a $14.9 million grant from the North Carolina Economic Investment Committee, with additional incentives from Holly Springs and Wake County totaling $54.3 million.

The expansion, set to be completed by 2031, will increase the workforce in Holly Springs to over 1,400 and raise the total site investment to more than $3.2 billion. Planned additions include two drug substance manufacturing buildings, administrative spaces, and expanded utilities and warehouse facilities.

This development was underscored by meetings in Japan in October 2023 between North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, Fujifilm executives, and other state and business leaders, focusing on enhancing Fujifilm’s North Carolina operations.

The project is part of broader Japanese investment in North Carolina, which over the last decade totals $17.58 billion and 9,220 jobs across various sectors. This growth includes significant contributions from companies like Toyota and Dai Nippon Printing, establishing North Carolina as a major hub for biotechnology and manufacturing.

“North Carolina is known worldwide as a biotechnology hub thanks to the continued investment from companies like FUJIFILM Diosynth,” said NCEDP CEO Christopher Chung in a press release. “Our robust infrastructure, top-notch engineering talent in the state, and partnerships with entities like NC State University and the North Carolina Biotechnology Center provide support for innovative companies like FUJIFILM to continue to grow.”

Upon completion, Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies facility is expected to become the nation’s fourth-largest biotechnology hub, reinforcing North Carolina’s position in the global biotech industry.

Yesterday the UNC Board of Governors officially approved a $60 million Phase 1 expansion of UNC Charlotte’s Jerry Richardson Stadium.

The expansion includes the construction of a modern tower, increased stadium capacity, expanded luxury and club suites, and new team dining meeting areas.

“We are grateful for the private and public investments in this expansion, particularly from generous donors and the match from the NC General Assembly,” said Chancellor Sharon L. Gaber in a press release. “Their support allows us to pursue this ambitious endeavor, underscoring UNC Charlotte’s dedication to providing a top-tier athletic environment for our students, alumni and the broader community.”

Phase 1 will increase the stadium’s capacity from 15,314 total seats today to 18,170. Plans for subsequent expansion (Phase 2) will again increase capacity to 21,000. This phased approach allows Charlotte Athletics to advance the project promptly while fundraising efforts continue for subsequent phases.

With the labor force participation rate at 62.7% and slightly above pre-pandemic levels, WalletHub today released its report on 2024’s States Where Employers Are Struggling the Most in Hiring.

In order to see where employers are struggling the most in hiring, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on the rate of job openings for both the latest month and the last 12 months.

South Carolina was found to be the 3rd most struggling state, while North Carolina came in almost dead center at #24 overall.

States Where Employers Are Struggling the Most in Hiring

Lake Norman residents have long wondered about the prospects of a new commuter rail line extending north from Charlotte.

In several meetings over the past week the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) signaled that a deal with Norfolk Southern to create the Red Line Commuter Rail project could be finalized soon.

The Red Line is a 25-mile commuter rail project would need to use Norfolk Southern’s infrastructure along the route that links Uptown Charlotte with Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, and extending into Mooresville. It aims to enhance regional connectivity across ten stations and five municipalities.

Each station will serve as a park-and-ride hub with bus services and first/last-mile connections, fostering sustainable communities. The Red Line also connects to major entertainment venues and various transit services.

CATS collaborates with stakeholders to shape the project, aiming to reduce congestion, spur economic development, and improve livability. Public input in upcoming meetings is crucial for shaping the project’s direction and ensuring alignment with community needs and aspirations.

Upcoming Public Meetings:

1. Virtual Meeting: Date and Time TBA
   • Details will be shared in the next edition of the Citizen.
2. In-Person Meetings:
   • Huntersville: Thursday, April 18, 6 – 8 p.m. at North County Regional Library.
   • Charlotte: Saturday, April 20, 10 a.m. – noon at Sugar Creek Library.

Residents are encouraged to attend these meetings, share feedback, and contribute ideas to shape the Red Line Commuter Rail project on their website at PublicInput.com/RedLine.

Over the next few weeks, the Charlotte region will witness a truly extraordinary natural event as millions of cicadas prepare to fill the air with their distinctive calls.

For the first time in over 200 years, 2 of America’s largest broods, Brood XIX and XIII cicadas, are poised to emerge simultaneously. Experts estimate that this synchronized emergence will result in a staggering population exceeding 1 trillion cicadas.

Cicadas, known for their periodic appearances at 13 or 17-year intervals, typically emerge in different geographical regions, with various broods making appearances every five to six years. However, the convergence of Brood XIX and XIII, two of the largest brood types, is an exceptional occurrence this year.

Brood XIX, also called The Great Southern Brood, emerges every 13 years and covers a vast area across the southeastern United States, extending northward to Illinois. In a unique twist, this brood intersects with the 17-year cycle of Brood XIII, resulting in their simultaneous emergence.

This rare event, last observed during Thomas Jefferson’s presidency in 1803, marks a historic moment, with these broods emerging in the same year after 221 years.

While both broods are returning in 2024, they are not emerging in the same locations or at precisely the same times. The timing of their emergence is influenced by soil temperatures, warming gradually from south to north.

As soil temperatures reach 64°F at a depth of 8 inches, the cicadas will begin to emerge. Prime locations around Charlotte to witness and hear their chorus include Fort Mill, Tega Cay, Pineville, Ballantyne, and Harrisburg.

Although the mating calls of cicadas will be extremely loud and persistent, the insects themselves are harmless to humans – they don’t sting, bite, or carry toxins. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), however, does note that they can pose a serious risk to young trees if female cicadas lay eggs in them.

To safeguard trees, the EPA advises using ultra-fine insect mesh for young trees around your property.

Honeywell today celebrated the completion of its inaugural Arena of the Future Experience in partnership with Digi-Bridge, a Charlotte-based organization that provides interactive science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) learning initiatives to students across the region, and the Charlotte Hornets. 

The program brought together 30 middle school students from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, with a significant portion hailing from Title I Schools and historically underrepresented backgrounds, to conceptualize a blueprint for a next-generation arena with sustainability as its cornerstone. Key focuses included water conservation, solar energy, player and fan security enhancement and futuristic concepts like augmented reality and artificial intelligence.

After tipping off the experience with a behind-the-scenes tour of Spectrum Center, over five weeks, each student group was guided by mentors from Honeywell and coaches from Digi-Bridge as they brainstormed concepts, developed blueprints for their proposed solutions and used laser cutting technology to create 3D-printed prototypes. To conclude the experience, Honeywell hosted a Capstone event at its Uptown headquarters, where teams pitched their ideas in a group presentation to expert industry judges, including Digi-Bridge CEO Alyssa Sharpe, Honeywell Global Head of Brand Partnerships Kristen Picard, Hornets Sports & Entertainment Executive Vice President & Spectrum Center General Manager Donna Julian and Hornets Sports & Entertainment Director of Arena Operations & Sustainability Alex MacKenzie.

“Honeywell has more than a century of experience tackling the world’s most complex challenges, and we have been able to meet these challenges head-on because of our continued investment in the leaders of tomorrow, including the incredible students who presented at today’s Capstone event,” said Picard. “Our participants’ ideas – built from passion and ingenuity – left me feeling humbled, and I know a more sustainable future, within the Spectrum Center and beyond, rests in capable hands with this talented group of students.”

Each team’s presentation was judged on efficacy, feasibility, originality, collaboration and their presentation. Honeywell generously donated cutting-edge technology, including 3D printers and virtual reality headsets, to the top-ranked teams’ schools. 

• 1^st Place: Team “StageHydra,” a concept for retractable arena seats and stages powered by water pistons  
• 2^nd Place: Team “Solar Powered Seats in Screens,” adding solar powered screens to the back of arena seats for fans to order food and reduce waste  
• 3^rd Place: Team “Comfort Garden,” a sensory-friendly stadium experience with a custom-built irrigation system and vertical garden  

Organizers gifted each Arena of the Future participant a VIP Charlotte Hornets game day experience – featuring signed swag and a surprise visit from Hornets legend Muggsy Bogues – honoring them during the second quarter of the Hornets vs. Dallas Mavericks game last week. 

“Our Arena of the Future experience is fostering a generation of problem solvers who aren’t just envisioning change, but actively creating it,” said Digi-Bridge’s Sharpe. “Witnessing these students’ boundless creativity and commitment to sustainability reaffirms the invaluable role of experiential STEAM learning in shaping tomorrow’s innovators.” 

“Sustainability is a very important topic that is constantly top-of-mind for us at Spectrum Center,” said Julian. “It’s incredible to have so many young minds come together and to see the various ideas the students have to pave the way for a more sustainable future in sports and entertainment.”

Other solutions devised by the students include a solar-powered food court, breakout rooms for fans with sensory needs and an app designed to reduce concessions waste.