LAUREL COUNTY
THE LAND OF ADVENTURE AND PROSPERITY
BY NITA JOHNSON | Staff Writer
Named for the abundance of laurel trees lining the river , Laurel County has a wealth of opportunity in a wide variety of areas for all interests .
An industrial epi-center in the business arena , Laurel County announced new businesses locating throughout the county throughout 2022 with more coming in 2023 .
The announcement of the sale of Rowland Acres Industrial Park to Sazerac Distilleries offered a record-breaking investment promise of $ 600 million in the next several years . The property will house between 20 to 25 rickhouses used to age Sazerac ' s Kentucky bourbons . The investment will also include an expansion to Cumberland Cooperage in the East Bernstadt community , where the bourbon barrels are produced .
The business growth is not limited to just the industrial area but in
Page 26 — The Times-Tribune • Community Guide 2023 retail and services as well .
Paula Thompson , executive director of the London-Laurel County Economic Development Authority , reported extensive progress in both the retail and industrial areas in 2022 .
“ London and Laurel County saw steady economic growth throughout all of 2022 . Month after month new businesses opened , existing businesses expanded and relocated and hundreds of new jobs were added ,” Thompson said . “ This steady growth created a positive economic impact not just for Laurel County but for our whole region .”
Of those were 47 new storefront businesses , announcements of 47 new service companies , 13 new medical offices , and 11 new restaurants opened a storefront and 9 remotely operated food businesses opened .
Expansion and relocation of several businesses also impacted the