TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Dr. Douglas J. Hewett, ICMA-CM, City Manager
FROM: Robert Van Geons, FCEDC President and CEO
DATE: June 8, 2026
RE:Title
Project Odesa Public Hearing
Title
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COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
All City Council Districts, 1 - 9
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
Goal III - City Investment in Today and Tomorrow (Project Odesa would create 162 jobs paying an average annual wage of $70,759. This project would inject more than $11.4 million in annual payroll into our community. The positive impact this company would have on our local economy cannot be overstated.
Goal IV - City is a desirable place to live, work, & recreate Project Odesa would create a significant number of jobs paying above the Cumberland County's average annual wage of $49,382, with a lowest starting salary expected to be $50,000. This would allow more Fayetteville and Cumberland County residents to secure higher paying jobs, resulting in an improved quality of life.
Executive Summary:
Project Odesa is considering Fayetteville and Cumberland County for its headquarters, manufacturing plant, and distribution center for its Unmanned Aerial Systems. The project is considering other sites in multiple states. Incentives have been requested from the City and County to reaffirm our commitment to Project Odesa and demonstrate that our community is the right location for this project, and a public hearing has been called to approve or deny those incentives.
Background:
This Project would create 162 jobs in Fayetteville. The average salary for these jobs is projected at $70,759, exceeding the Cumberland County average. Capital investment in phase one is expected to be $3.4 million.
Project Odesa is considering a 28,479 square-foot building for its operations, located at 223 Dedication Drive.
The project would utilize this site to manufacture unmanned aerial systems, distributing the finished product to the end use...
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