BLYTHEWOOD, S.C. — Construction is continuing at the Scout Motors project in Blythewood.
There was an eager and curious crowd inside the Doko Manor in Blythewood on Thursday. Residents came from around the area to hear from representatives from Scout and SCDOT about the continuing work at the Scout project site. Blair Anderson is the vice president of government and regulator affairs at Scout.
"This is a company that we're expecting to be around for 60, 70, 80, 100 years," he says.
The event was hosted through a partnership between state senators Tamika Isaac Devine and Mia Mcleod. Anderson says construction is still moving along at the project site.
"We're now in the last couple of weeks, shifting to a phase where we're starting to, instead of moving dirt around, we're starting to organize it. We're getting it to a place where we're, instead of moving it, we're building the initial pads for some of the buildings," Anderson adds, "That way, by the time we enter next year, we're in a position where SCDOT is starting to, essentially, populate the buildings."
Also in attendance was Jay Maddox with SCDOT. He gave information about the roads and the expansions that are set to begin in the next year.
"You really won't see any dirt moving until the ladder part of this year and really that's predominantly going to be the construction of that railroad bridge that'll start this summer and also utility relocations," he says.
Anderson says Scout is committing to over 4000 jobs that require skilled and trained workers at the new plant.
"Many of the people that will be working in our facilities in 2027 probably haven't even graduated high school yet so part of the challenge is making sure we get out there and raise awareness about the opportunities that will be there," he says.
Scout's job site can be found here.
Scout did not provide an update or comment about potential environmental impacts being made by the project.