Clarksburg Exponent Telegram - page A1

by Steve Morris

BRIDGEPORT (Tuesday, October 28, 2001)

The war on terrorism and a contracting economy has not deterred the developers of Charles Pointe. In fact, they feel that it is an opportunity to make the development more attractive to businesses.

We agree that with the current fears of terrorism, a rural location such as Charles Pointe may be attractive to many businesses and individuals who are currently located in metropolitan cities.

With the advancement in technology in the past years, it is not necessary for a business to be located in New York or some other metropolitan city in order to be successful.

Charles Pointe will be a technologically advanced development, which will allow companies to operate as effectively as if they were in a major city.

The development will also boost our local economy with the retail/professional park phase of the project expected to provide 1,500 to 2,000 full-time professional jobs and about 650 full- and part-time retail jobs.

The construction of a 120-room hotel will be the first operating business in the retail/professional park and could be open as soon as the spring of 2003.

We agree that the developers of Charles Pointe should press ahead with the 2,000-acre development and feel that it may offer opportunities that may not have existed before September 11.

Although the current economic conditions have caused companies to trim expenses, we feel that Charles Pointe can attract many professional companies and that the developers should keep the dream of "build it and they will come."