A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to appropriate funds to establish the CENTRAL park of north carolina.
Whereas, the Central Park Strategy was created by a consensus of the region's leadership to restructure the economies of seven rural counties in central North Carolina through new entrepreneurial growth based on the natural and cultural resources of the region; and
Whereas, the seven central North Carolina counties of Richmond, Stanly, Anson, Rowan, Davidson, Montgomery, and Randolph that are included in the Central Park of North Carolina have collectively lost more than 18,000 jobs over the last five years and many more during the previous decade as manufacturing jobs, particularly textile jobs, were exported overseas; and
Whereas, there is a great need for new entrepreneurial business growth that is based on the natural and cultural resources of the Central Park region and that will not be exported from our State; and
Whereas, researchers at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte predicted that the development of the Central Park Strategy will conservatively generate an additional 25,700 jobs and $2.1 billion of annual economic impact by 2025; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to The Yadkin/Pee Dee Lakes Project, Inc., a nonprofit corporation, the sum of two hundred fifty‑five thousand dollars ($255,000) for the 2006‑2007 fiscal year. These funds shall be allocated for the biennium as follows:
(1)	$85,000 for STARworks incubator project.
(2)	$85,000 to serve as matching funds for a grant to develop interpretive kiosks, guides, and a Web site to explain the region's natural heritage and to attract tourists.
(3)	$85,000 for the Central Park Small Town Area Revitalization program.
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2006.