Grant Awarded To Cocke County Partnership

Some great news for Cocke County was announced on Tuesday. Governor Bill Lee revealed that nearly $8 million in grant money was being awarded from The Site Development Grant program, which is part of the Rural Economic Opportunity Act. A total of nine grants were awarded to rural towns and counties in the state and one of those grants was awarded to the Cocke County Partnership in the amount of $1 million…that is the third largest of the nine grants awarded. According to a press release grants are designed to help communities achieve Select Tennessee site certification and prepare industrial sites for economic development projects. The funding helps communities invest in infrastructure and engineering improvements on project-ready sites. The $1 million grant for Cocke County is associated with the Smoky Mountain Innovation Park being built in Newport. Lucas Graham with the Cocke County Partnership told us only Lawrence County and the town of Waynesboro receive more grant money than Cocke County.