Watauga County, North Carolina

entrepreneurs for a long time, but we, as a county organization, didn’t feel like we should take the lead in this, but rather a supporting role. So, we’re really looking forward to that and we’re investing in it. Of course, there’s also private space available in the facility, as well, and it’s not going to be only for those who are involved in software or coding, although those will probably be the majority of the users, but open to any entrepreneur. Hopefully, that’s going to open here soon and be successful.” Another sector that Furman says the County is looking to expand is a corollary to what he terms its “outdoor economy.” “When I say outdoor economy,” he explains, “I’m not only including national parks, local parks, and so forth, and attractions, such as Tweetsie Railroad (Tweetsie Railroad is a family-oriented heritage railroad and Wild West amusement park located between Boone and Blowing Rock. The centerpiece of the park is a three-mile ride on a train pulled by one of Tweetsie Railroad’s two historic, narrow- gauge steam locomotives) or Mystery Hill (which features three museums with historic artifacts and exhibits) or the ski slopes, but also outdoor apparel and equipment manufacturers.” “We’ve got a couple of pretty well-known ones” he continues. “Misty Mountain Threadworks manufactures climbing gear, although they have shifted, during the pandemic, to manufacturing