San Diego’s Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits will invest $47.8 million to establish East Coast brewing operations in suburban Roanoke, Va., the Virginia governor’s office announced.

Ballast Point will be the third major San Diego brewer to establish East Coast facilities in Virginia, following previously announced operations now getting underway at Stone Brewing Co. and Green Flash Brewing Co. Stone is gearing up facilities in Richmond, and Green Flash is preparing to brew in Virginia Beach.

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe said in a statement that he met with Ballast Point officials at their Miramar headquarters in September 2015, as part of a West Coast business marketing mission. Virginia competed against several Eastern states for the project, which will create 178 jobs in Botetourt County near Roanoke.

“We are fortunate that there is a growing appreciation of beer across the country and the world, and opening a brewery location in Virginia will better allow us to get fresh, great-quality beer in the hands of our customers,” said Ballast Point founder Jack White, in the governor’s statement.

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Botetourt County and the Roanoke Regional Partnership to secure the project for Virginia, with a $2.4 million grant from the state’s Opportunity Fund approved by the governor. Ballast Point will also be eligible to receive a $250,000 grant from the governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund.

The statement said funding and services to support Ballast Point’s employee training activities will be provided through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program.

Ballast Point last year was acquired by New York-based Constellation Brands, in a $1 billion deal. It is the nation’s 11th largest craft beer maker based on 2015 sales volume, and the second-largest among San Diego County brewers after Escondido-based Stone Brewing.

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