HURT, Va. – Italian rocket manufacturer Avio plans to invest $500 million to build a facility at the Southern Virginia Multimodal Park in Hurt, a project expected to create more than 1,000 jobs and mark the largest economic investment in the area’s history.
The company will construct a manufacturing facility on the remaining land at the industrial park and relocate the headquarters of its American branch from Northern Virginia to Hurt. The project is expected to be fully operational by 2028.
Town officials say the investment could be transformative for Hurt and the surrounding communities.
“We don’t really have any industry here at all,” Mayor Gary Hodnett said. “So, this is going to open up the whole northern end of Pittsylvania County as well as the southern end of Campbell County.”
Hodnett said residents could see long-term financial benefits from the project.
“Hopefully they will be able to see a reduction in water rates,” he said. “They’ll be able to see a reduction in the taxes that they pay.”
Pittsylvania County Economic Development Director Matt Rowe said the deal had been in development for months, with local leaders working to prove the site was the most cost-effective and practical option. He said the park’s existing infrastructure and business-friendly climate helped set it apart.
“A lot of communities are just not able to act as fast as what the industry needs,” Rowe said. “It’s a great testament to the town, to the climate that’s created for its businesses.”
Rowe said the process required careful coordination to secure the project.
“It’s a million things that have to go right,” he said. “And if one thing just is out of line and it doesn’t go right, it can fall apart.”
Local leaders and business owners say they expect the influx of workers to spur additional growth, including revitalization of vacant storefronts that have become common in parts of Hurt.
Diamond Barbour, manager of Main Street Buffet, said the restaurant frequently serves construction and plant workers and anticipates increased demand.
“It brings a lot of happiness that we’ll have more jobs coming in and more workers,” Barbour said. “That’s lots of hungry bellies to feed. We like that.”
Barbour said more jobs could encourage new businesses to open in the area, creating further opportunities for growth.
“More jobs mean more folks that can help themselves and the community,” she said. “We’ll get more businesses and as they come maybe we’ll get more business and we can grow too.”