FRANKLIN—The Franklin City Council voted 7-0 Monday to approve a partnership with an industrial real estate developer to maintain and market Pretlow Industrial Park.

Hollingsworth Companies has a similar project at the Southpoint Business Park in Prince George. That project in the last 15 years has generated 15 announcements resulting in $1 billion in capital investment and close to 1,000 jobs, said Amanda Jarratt, president and chief executive officer of Franklin Southampton Economic Development Inc.

The three-year contract will cost $18,000 annually, with the first year being paid for by FSEDI, the area’s lead economic development agency.

The Hollingsworth Companies also will prepare the Pretlow Park’s parcels for development, which would allow a tenant to move in within six months instead of the typical year, said Hollingsworth Industrial Real Estate Director Chip Sisk.

“We want to get the lot up to a place where someone could move into a building,” Sisk said. “It puts you six months ahead of the curve, so they can move in quickly.”

Hollingsworth would also market the space nationally by going to trade shows and using its database of more than 13,000 contacts, Sisk said.

“It opens us up to a vast network of contacts we don’t currently have access to,” Jarratt said.

It also allows FSEDI to market to companies looking for ready-to-start sites, which wasn’t an option before.

“I’m very excited,” Jarratt said. “This is a huge deal for us. It makes us more competitive within the region.”

“Franklin City Council and staff are committed to economic development as a top priority,” said City Manager Randy Martin. “Partnerships and preparation are key to an effective economic development program.”