North Carolina was previously depending on the textile industry, and when the factories closed the unemployment rate went up to 18%. “Today the unemployment is around 8-9%, so even if we haven’t employed all of them the venue plays a big role. Restaurants and hotels in the region are employing and it has been an economic rebirth for this community,” Mark explains about the impact of Tryon International Equestrian Center.



Getting a permission to build is usually difficult, but in the case of Tryon International Equestrian Center it was different. “It was very easy to get the building permission to in an area like this. When we started we got 20 years development permission. We still need to get building permission for every project, but this community has been unbelievable to work with. Sometimes it can take years to get a permission, but this is a unique set of people and the state of North Carolina has been fantastic,” Mark tells.



It has been a huge and very expensive project, and it will cost even more before it is finished. “We have spent about 180 million dollars to date, and we will probably spend another 180-200 million dollars over the next 18 months. We will not take any money out of this place for a long time….” Mark says.



To be able to build the hotels and apartments that they wish to have ready ahead of the Games, the organizers have gone to great lengths: A factory has been bought and around 40 robots have been installed there. “This way we can build the whole hotel in the factory – room by room – and then we drive them to the setting and put them together. That is how we are able to build everything so fast.” But the factory isn’t all there has been invested in: A transportable cement factory is also on stage to make it all as effective as possible. “In that way, we don’t have to wait around,” Mark says.



There are already 1200 stalls on the venue, but another 400 will be built and the indoor will be made bigger to be able to host the reining and vaulting. “All the horses will stay in permanent stables and all the grooms will be in permanent buildings. We are right now building 260 units with air condition and they will be placed on the venue so that the grooms are close to where they need to be,” Mark tells.



“We are just adding now. The sport is pretty much done, so the only thing that we are really building now is lodgings and restaurants – as well as the press and VIP hospitality,” Mark explains and in the next second he shows us where the huge family pool and sport centre will be. “We will build at least two hotels ahead of the Games, but are hoping to build five. It will be different types of lodgings so that it will fit all wallets. To be safe we have booked 3000 hotel rooms at the closest hotels and depending on how much we can build, we will start to release the booked rooms.”