Reasons why Dorchester County is a smart location for your client’s business
1. Diverse Labor Force
Dorchester County offers a readily available, energetic workforce. County businesses draw their workforce from a five-county area of the mid-shore region, allowing for a more diverse labor pool, with a wide range of skills and educational levels.
2. Strategic Location
Dorchester County is ideally situated on the central Atlantic seaboard, and allows easy accessibility to 22% of the U.S. population residing in the New York to Richmond mega-market. One-day delivery time is possible to destinations as far north as New England and as far south as Florida.
3. Economic Incentives
- HUBZone. Dorchester County is a designated HUBZone. This program provides federal contracting opportunities for qualified small businesses located in the zone.
- One Maryland Incentive. Businesses that locate, invest, and create jobs in Dorchester County may qualify for project tax credits of up to $5 million and start-up tax credits up to $500,000.
- Enterprise Zone. Businesses locating in a Maryland Enterprise Zone may be eligible for income tax credits and real property tax credits in return for capital investment and job creation.
- Job Creation Tax Credit. Maryland’s Job Creation Tax Credit program provides tax credits to new businesses locating in the county, and to existing businesses that expand their workforce.
- Low-Interest Loans. Qualifying businesses may be eligible for low-interest loans to assist with financing of a start-up or expansion project.
4. IT Infrastructure
The Dorchester Regional Technology Park is connected to the Maryland Broadband Cooperative’s fiber optic backbone with redundant pathways on and off the Eastern Shore with services available through its last-mile provider members.
5. Dorchester Regional Technology Park
The County, in collaboration with the City of Cambridge, as well as federal and state agencies, has developed a 113-acre park, with a future “incubator” to serve small high-tech start-up businesses. The Regional Technology Park consist of 15 lots ranging in size from 4 to 5 acres with water and sewer, and fiber service. Additionally, the Park’s HUBZone status provide special advantages to firms doing business with the government. These opportunities are enhanced by the county’s proximity to federal government agencies in Washington, D.C., as well as many of the nation’s key cities.
The Cambridge-Dorchester Regional Airport is conveniently located adjacent to the Regional Technology Park. A planned expansion of the airport will extend the runway from 4,476 feet to 5,400 feet to allow for larger aircraft service. Since the airport is out of the restricted zone, takeoffs and landings involve little or no delays.
6. Quality of Life
Dorchester County is located on Maryland’s scenic Eastern Shore with more than 1,700 miles of shoreline. It is the largest land/water mass county in Maryland, with nearly 600 square miles of land and 70 square miles of waterways. Its close proximity to the Baltimore/Washington corridor has attracted businesses and entrepreneurs due to the many business assets, cost advantages, and quality of life.
Dorchester County offers attractive and affordable housing options from waterfront estates to rural developments and small city condos, townhouses and apartments. The City of Cambridge offers historic housing on quiet streets and waterfront living along Cambridge Creek. Local amenities such as shops and restaurants, parks, marinas, and a public entertainment venue are within walking or biking distance. Public transportation is available to many local business centers and will serve the new Regional Technology Park.
Visit Dorchester County and discover why it is a great place to live, work, play and do business!
7. One-on-One Personal Assistance
Dorchester County Economic Development will be your personal business liaison and advocate when locating a business from Germany to Dorchester County.
Keasha Haythe, Economic Development Director will be your personal contact for specialized services.
Contact
Keasha Haythe, CEcD, Director
5263 Bucktown Road *Cambridge, MD 21613*
Phone: 410-228-0155*
Fax: 410-228-9518
Email: khaythe@choosedorchester.org
Website: www.choosedorchester.org
Brief Economic Facts – Dorchester County, MD