The property, owned by local businessman Gerald Pritchard, had been marketed for more than seven years with increasingly urgent language including “motivated seller,” “priced to move,” and, most recently, “bring all offers.”
Economic development officials said Pritchard had previously returned calls with exceptional speed.
“Historically, Gerald has been very accessible,” said Quarry Bend Economic Development Director Claire Denson. “If you called him about mowing the frontage, he would call back before you finished leaving the voicemail.”
That changed immediately after a site selection consultant requested a signed access agreement, updated pricing confirmation, and availability for a potential executive visit later in the week.
Officials have not heard from him since.
The project, known internally as Project Summit, is considering an investment of approximately $420 million and could create more than 600 jobs.
Pritchard’s property is currently believed to be one of three finalists.
“This is the exact scenario he has been waiting for,” Denson said. “Possibly his entire adult life.”
Pritchard was first contacted Monday morning by phone.
A second call was placed at 10:17 a.m.
A text message followed at 10:23.
By noon, officials had also emailed him, contacted his attorney, called his office, reached out to his brother, and driven past the property to determine whether he might be there.
He was not.
At 1:45 p.m., staff noticed that Pritchard had viewed the original text message.
This development generated considerable optimism.
No response followed.
County officials stressed that there is no reason to believe Pritchard has changed his mind about selling the property.
“There are probably a hundred perfectly reasonable explanations,” said County Commissioner Dale Mercer. “He could be traveling. He could be in a meeting. He could be having phone trouble.”
Mercer paused.
“He could also be thinking about the price.”
That possibility has become an increasing concern.
Pritchard purchased the land in 1998 and has spent the past several years telling anyone who would listen that he would “sell tomorrow if somebody got serious.”
According to officials, somebody has now gotten serious.
The timing appears to have complicated matters.
“One of the interesting things about industrial real estate is that land can have one value for 20 years and then a dramatically different value the moment a company expresses interest,” Denson said. “It is a very dynamic market.”
The site selection consultant has requested confirmation of pricing by Wednesday.
Officials currently have a letter from Pritchard dated 11 months ago stating that the property is available for $18,000 per acre.
Whether that number remains valid is unclear.
“That was the price before we knew anyone wanted it,” said a person familiar with Pritchard’s thinking.
By Tuesday morning, rumors had emerged that Pritchard was considering retaining part of the property, increasing the asking price, requiring additional compensation for an access road, and possibly naming a future street after himself.
None has been confirmed because Pritchard remains unavailable.
Economic development staff have continued preparing the site information requested by the prospect while attempting to project complete confidence.
“We have a highly competitive site, strong infrastructure, excellent access and a committed local team,” Denson said. “We are currently working through one minor ownership-related detail.”
At press time, Pritchard had still not returned calls.
His Facebook account, however, showed that he had liked a photograph of a bass boat 27 minutes earlier.
