- Advance work at the Bailey site prepared the property for a significant industrial investment by USA Rare Earth
- Collaboration underscores the power of ready-to-go sites; adds to the $3.5 billion of capital investments and more than 5,200 new jobs the Site Readiness Program has helped bring to South Carolina
GREENVILLE, S.C., June 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- USA Rare Earth's announcement this week of a major investment and new jobs in Cherokee County highlights the impact of Duke Energy's Site Readiness Program, which helped prepare the Bailey Industrial Site for major economic development. Through upfront due diligence, infrastructure planning and site marketing, the program made Bailey more competitive for companies looking to move quickly on a new project.
Since 2005, the program has helped attract significant investment across South Carolina, and Bailey is the latest example. After completing the site-readiness process, the Cherokee County property was better positioned to compete for transformative projects – culminating in USA Rare Earth's announcement that it will build a facility there, bringing a $1.2 billion investment and 490 new jobs in one of the county's biggest economic wins.