ROCKINGHAM — During his monthly report to the Richmond County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 6, County Manager reviewed the highlights of 2025 and his optimism for 2026.
The “shining star” of the year, Land said, was the luring of Amazon Web Services — a project given the name “Blue Marlin” prior to the official announcement in June.
The project has been touted as the state’s largest capital investment, with Amazon planning to spend $10 billion on the data center complex in the Energy Way Industrial Park south of Hamlet on Airport Road.
Amazon is also planning to hire 500 employees by the time the campus is complete.
“It’s certainly a project to be tremendously proud of as it will transform Richmond County as we know it today,” Land said.
The next event on Land’s list was the return of NASCAR to Rockingham Speedway in April for the first time in 12 years for the Craftsman Truck Series and in two decades for the now-O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
The triple-race weekend reportedly brought in nearly $40 million combined for Richmond and Moore counties.
“Easter weekend in 2025 will be remembered for many years as an exhilarating weekend for tens of thousands of race fans that called Richmond County home for a few days,” Land said.
Both series are scheduled to return April 3-4 — along with the ARCA Menards Series East — with the same title sponsors.
Just before the end of the year, the International Hot Rod Association purchased the speedway from the previous owners who bought the track in 2018 and started hosting events in 2021.
Sticking with motorsports, Land transitioned to the announcement that the National Hot Rod Association would be returning to Rockingham Dragway for the first points event in the track’s history
“We are all super excited for what the future holds for both of our racing venues that have been woven into the cloth and history of Richmond County since the 1960s,” Land said.
In other economic development news, Land said that shell building No. 6 has been completed at a construction cost of around $3 million.
The consolidated government center at the former Pee Dee Electric building on Midway Road, which began renovations in 2025, is expected to be complete by the spring, according to Land.
The new building will house the commissioners chambers, as well as the Board of Elections, GIS, Planning and Zoning and Inspections departments, and the IT and Building Maintenance departments.
The Energy Way sewer project also started in 2025, with more than 3,100 feet of sewer line being laid, according to Land.
Stacks of pipe sit outside the Richmond County Airport.
William R. Toler - Richmond Observer
The county is also in the planning stages for water upgrades along Airport Road, which Land said is also part of the Amazon project.
Bidding is expected to be in the summer with a projected cost of around $30 million. According to Land, that will include:
Land also mentioned several projects at the Richmond County Airport, with some still to come, totalling around $3 million, as well as the demolition of the former Locker Plant in downtown Rockingham and the paving of the parking lots at the Human Services Complex and the magistrate’s office.
There are also several projects related to the county’s educational facilities, including the announcement of a $42 million grant for a new L.J. Bell Elementary campus.
Other education projects named by Land in which the county had a role include:
“This is certainly not an all-inclusive project list — just a snapshot of some of the large-scale projects to give you guys and our staff a pat on the back for a spectacular 2025,” Land said.
“I assure you we aren’t slowing down, we’re going to keep our foot on the gas and we’re diving into ‘26 wide open.”
Prior to Land’s report, a majority of the board approved the appointment of a new county attorney: Matthews-based Mujeeb Shah-Khan.
Shah-Khan previously worked as assistant city attorney for Charlotte, as well as the city attorney for Greensboro and Monroe.
The county enlisted the help of Bob Jessup, bond counsel with Sanford Holshouser in selecting a new attorney.
Jessup said there were six responses, which were narrowed down to four.
Three commissioners — Jason Gainey, Justin Dawkins and Chairman Jeff Smart — were on the selection committee and Jessup said Shah-Khan was their “clear first choice.”
Gainey said Shah-Jhan “stood head and shoulders above everyone, not just because (of) his expertise, but because (of) his experience with small communities like ours.”
Commissioners Andy Grooms and Dr. Rick Watkins voted against the hire.
Commissioner Robin Roberts joined the meeting remotely.
