John Gettys, Mayor, City of Rock Hill

In an interview with Invest:, Mayor John Gettys outlined how Rock Hill’s momentum is driven by long-term infrastructure planning, niche sports tourism, and a strategic focus on high-wage industries. “Our challenge is to be the first choice,” he said, pointing to regional positioning and city-owned assets like the Palmetto Research Park.

What makes Rock Hill a compelling location for businesses and people looking to relocate, compared to other markets in the Charlotte metro or Southeast?

Rock Hill is a city on the rise. We’re just shy of 80,000 people, located in York County, which has about 300,000 to 315,000 residents. Over the past 20 to 25 years, we’ve seen significant investment in public infrastructure, particularly in parks and tourism. That investment has matured and shaped a unique community.

We’re regularly featured on TV across the Southeast — sometimes even nationally — thanks to ESPN’s niche coverage. Recently, Rock Hill hosted the Pan American Table Tennis Tournament, the first time that event has ever been held in the United States. We’re also home to the National Cornhole Organization and frequently host the Disc Golf World Championships.

Our parks are not just for programming — they’re essential spaces for residents to enjoy throughout the city. That access, combined with our quality of life and a lower cost of living than other cities in the region, sets Rock Hill apart. We’ve also made aggressive investments in our utilities, a critical part of our appeal to businesses.

How will you maintain continuity in the city’s development strategy during your next term?

This will be my third term as mayor, assuming the upcoming election goes as expected. My first two elections were contested, but my opponent withdrew this time, so I’m running unopposed.

That gives us an opportunity to begin planning for the next couple of years earlier than expected. We’ll have at least one new City Council member, with Councilman Jim Reno retiring after 28 years. Fortunately, both candidates running for that seat are lifelong Rock Hill residents with deep roots in the community. One is a real estate agent, and the other owns a business on Main Street.

Whoever is elected will bring valuable local perspectives. Our focus will continue to be making Rock Hill not just attractive for newcomers, but a place people want to stay, invest in, and raise their families. With strong schools and institutions like Winthrop University, York Technical College, and Clinton College, we offer a broad range of opportunities for residents.

How are recent developments, like Riverstone Logistics, shaping Rock Hill’s business identity? 

Rock Hill is changing, but one thing that hasn’t changed is our sense of urgency — a mindset that’s been in place since the days of Mayor Betty Jo Rhea, nearly 40 years ago. When the textile industry left, we had to redefine who we were and how we would compete — not just in the Charlotte region, but across the Southeast. At a recent business leaders’ breakfast, Tracy Dodson from the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance shared that over 150 people move to the Charlotte metro every day. Our challenge is to be the first choice for those individuals and companies.

We’re targeting life sciences and other advanced manufacturing jobs that aren’t currently in our area. With Charlotte’s Pearl innovation district on one end of I-77 and USC’s Brain Institute in Columbia on the other, we’re ideally positioned right in the middle. Our utilities and infrastructure give us a strong advantage. One major asset is the Palmetto Research Park — 235 acres right off I-77, formerly planned for the Carolina Panthers facility. It’s city-owned, with direct highway access and just 15 miles from an international airport. We believe this gives us the best location for new industry in the Southeast.

What’s next for downtown Rock Hill, and how are you maintaining its historic character while building momentum?

Fortunately, that balance is expected by our community. The new growth downtown, from University Center to Knowledge Park, has been consistent in design and feel with our historic architecture. Buildings mirror the brickwork, archways, and mill-era design of structures like the old Friedheim Building, which dates to 1898.

We’ve invested a lot of effort in maintaining that look and feel. New developments like Riverstone Logistics are bringing jobs downtown, and we’re preparing to break ground on new sites — including the former Herald newspaper property — as interest rates begin to settle.

We’re also progressing on a pedestrian bridge connecting downtown with Knowledge Park and continuing work on the “Storyline” — a project linking Fountain Park to Winthrop University with immersive, interactive exhibits that share the history of Rock Hill and its people.

How are you evolving your sports tourism strategy to ensure long-term impact?

When I served on City Council in the early 2000s, South Carolina’s tax laws changed, allowing us to invest in facilities using hospitality and accommodation taxes. We chose to focus on sports facilities, and that decision paid off. Back in the early 2010s, I chaired the Sports Commission. At the time, our goal was a $25 million annual economic impact. Today, we’re seeing over $125 million a year.

This model works well: our parks are used by locals, but the debt service is paid for by visitors coming to tournaments and events. We’re opening the new Bleachery Fieldhouse soon, which adds four more basketball courts near our existing Sports and Event Center — greatly expanding our tournament capabilities. And yes, we’re adding pickleball courts, too.

In addition, we’re investing in underserved areas like the south side of Rock Hill. Thanks to tax increment financing and growth along I-77, we’re launching the first phase of a new $40 million regional park. It will ultimately be twice the size of Cherry Park and a major boost for quality of life.

How are you ensuring infrastructure keeps pace with growth and economic development?

Infrastructure is one of our strongest stories. We’ve been focused on it for a long time. Rock Hill provides its own water, sewer, stormwater, and electric utilities — and we’ve made major capacity upgrades. Last year, we increased our water plant capacity from 36 to 48 million gallons a day. Now we’re expanding our wastewater treatment plant from 20 to 30 million gallons. This keeps us ahead of the infrastructure curve, which is essential when companies are evaluating sites.

Not every community in the Charlotte metro has this capacity. We do — and that gives us leverage in attracting high-wage jobs. In 2022, Rock Hill’s average salary was around $55,000 to $56,000. We’re targeting employers who exceed that. Riverstone Logistics and Pratt Recycling are examples of companies that meet or surpass our wage goals.

We’re not interested in incentivizing low-wage jobs. Our focus is on building a tax base that allows continued investment in infrastructure and services — without increasing the burden on homeowners.

How are you working with local education providers to strengthen the talent pipeline for high-skill jobs?

We’re fortunate to have Winthrop University, York Technical College, and Clinton College all located in Rock Hill. Their leadership understands where the city is heading, and we’ve built strong partnerships with them. What we need to do better is communicate the value of education to the broader public and potential investors. If we’re known as a city that values education, we’ll attract more businesses and create better outcomes for our residents.

Our focus is on ensuring students, whether from local colleges or high schools, are equipped with the skills needed for high-paying jobs. Being so close to Charlotte gives us a unique workforce advantage. Businesses can draw talent from the metro, but we want to make sure our residents are also ready to fill those roles.

What are your top priorities for the next term, and how do you feel about the future of Rock Hill?

I’m optimistic. You can feel the momentum — in our workforce, in the jobs coming here, and in the overall economy. Riverstone’s headquarters downtown, the potential at Palmetto Research Park, and the growing partnerships with our colleges all point to a bright future.

But we have to stay focused. Investing in utilities is non-negotiable. Without that, we risk losing the opportunity to bring in high-paying jobs. Roads are another major concern. South Carolina’s current funding model isn’t working. Despite local efforts like Pennies for Progress, we need state-level reform to ensure road maintenance and safety.

Going forward, we’ll continue investing in infrastructure, supporting business owners and workers through education, and pushing south along I-77 with strategic developments and regional partnerships. We’ve got the tools and the momentum; now we need to keep building smart.