File photo
By Matt de Simone
On any given day, Kyle Rosner may be touring a manufacturing facility, meeting with business leaders, coordinating with state officials, or helping solve problems for local employers.
As Botetourt County’s Director of Economic Development, Rosner spends much of his time behind the scenes working to support businesses, strengthen the county’s tax base, and create opportunities for future growth. Much of that work happens out of public view until a major project captures public attention.
“The short of it is, we support businesses,” Rosner said.
Since taking over the position last November, Rosner has spent much of his time visiting local companies, learning about their operations, and identifying challenges that could affect their success.
“What makes my job fun is it’s different every day,” he added.
Those challenges range from workforce shortages and rising energy costs to supply chain concerns and tariffs. Rosner said one of the most valuable aspects of his role is helping businesses connect with resources and partners who can help address those issues.
With the county’s major industrial parks largely filled, he believes supporting existing businesses may be the most important economic development strategy moving forward.
“Greenfield is now filled essentially,” Rosner said. “The wins that we can deliver in expanding the tax base and improving employment opportunities for the community come through supporting our existing businesses.”
Rosner’s path into economic development began through broadband expansion efforts. Before joining Botetourt County, he worked in state government, private industry, and the federal government, helping expand Internet access to underserved rural communities.
At its core, economic development is about creating conditions that encourage private investment and strengthen communities, Rosner said. “Whether that means attracting private investment to Botetourt or helping facilitate private investment, the fundamentals are essentially the same.”
One of the biggest surprises after arriving in Botetourt County was the pace and flexibility of local government. Coming from the federal government, Rosner expected a slower process. Instead, he found a lean operation where new ideas can move quickly.
“If you have a good idea and can get support, you can run with things,” Rosner explained. “I enjoy that kind of autonomy.”
Rosner believes one of the biggest misconceptions about economic development is that residents often assume county officials recruit every new business, hotel, restaurant, or apartment complex that appears in the Daleville area.
In reality, most commercial projects are driven by private developers investing their own money because they see market opportunities, he said.
“I think a lot of people see the development that’s happening on 220 in the Daleville area,” Roser said. “[Some residents] think the county is incentivizing cutting taxes for developments, or that the county went out and attracted Wawa to build a gas station, or we went out and attracted Hampton Inn to build a hotel. We didn’t.”
Instead, he views his department’s primary mission as diversifying the county’s tax base.
“Everybody wants lower taxes,” Rosner said. “The way to accommodate that is to diversify tax revenues and make sure the regular citizen isn’t paying for everything.”
Balancing growth while preserving Botetourt County’s character is another key aspect of the job.
Rosner pointed to the county’s comprehensive plan, zoning policies, and utility infrastructure as the primary tools that guide development.
Approximately 80 to 85 percent of the county remains zoned agricultural, according to Rosner, and utility limitations naturally restrict where large-scale growth can occur.
“There’s some growing pains, whether it’s traffic and those kinds of things,” Rosner said. “But it’s been a lot of smart growth.”
He noted that Greenfield and East Park Commerce Center were developed decades ago with the specific goal of concentrating industrial development in designated areas while preserving much of the county’s rural landscape.
Looking ahead, Rosner sees several advantages that make Botetourt County attractive to businesses, including a quality school division, low taxes, access to higher education institutions, and a strong regional workforce.
“It’s really an amazing place,” he said of Botetourt County. “Businesses have certainty when they do business here.”
Still, challenges remain. One of the largest is the lack of shovel-ready industrial sites.
“We’re out of sites, essentially,” Rosner said. “That’s a challenge across the whole Roanoke Valley.”
Workforce shortages and housing availability also continue to affect employers throughout the region. Rosner said he hopes future economic development efforts continue to create high-paying jobs and diverse career pathways for local residents.
He pointed to careers such as welding, where graduates from Botetourt Technical Education Center (BTEC) can move directly into the workforce and build long-term careers with opportunities for advancement.
In recent years, economic development has become one of the most visible and debated topics in Botetourt County, particularly as discussions surrounding the proposed Google Data Center and several solar projects have generated strong public opinions.
Rosner said navigating controversial issues requires discipline and a commitment to factual information.
“I stick to the facts,” he said. “It’s the most important thing you can do, especially when you’re in a role like mine.”
He explained that his office is not involved in proposed solar projects because they do not involve county-owned property or economic development incentives. The proposed Google Data Center is different because the land involved is owned by the Botetourt County Economic Development Authority.
When evaluating projects, economic development officials consider factors such as tax revenue, transportation impacts, public services, and overall return on investment before presenting information to the Board of Supervisors, according to Rosner.
“Our job is to give all the facts to the board,” he said. “Then it’s up to the board to make the decision.”
Rosner acknowledged that many residents have concerns about traffic, environmental impacts, and changes to the community. At the same time, he pointed to the potential economic benefits supporters see in projects like the proposed Google facility.
According to county estimates, a single data center building could generate approximately $10 million annually in local revenue.
“That is 10 times higher than the current biggest taxpayer in the county,” Rosner pointed out.
He cited communities such as Mecklenburg County and Louisa County as examples of localities that have used data center revenue over the years to fund schools, improve services, and reduce tax burdens. Despite the controversy surrounding some projects, Rosner said his experience interacting with residents has generally been positive.
“There’s always going to be disagreements,” he said. “But we have to do it agreeably.”
For Rosner, the most rewarding part of the job comes when projects reach completion and produce tangible benefits for businesses and residents.
“Anytime we can help a business succeed or help them expand, it has a multiplier effect,” Rosner said. “You want a thriving business environment in your locality. If you don’t have that, you’re missing a big piece of success.”
