Lowcountry businesses to develop plan to reopen economy

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Government and business leaders from across the Lowcountry are coming together to establish a coordinated plan to reopen the Charleston region’s economy after COVID-19.

The plan, named Reignite, is being led by One Region, a strategic planning group coordinated by the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce and the Charleston Regional Development Alliance.

“Our economy needs to reopen and reopen safely,” retired Air Force Gen. Hank Taylor, chairman of One Region, said in a news release. “I have every confidence that aligning and working together as One Region is the right approach for reigniting our regional economy and ensuring employers and employees have the consistent guidelines and confidence they need to safely get back to work.”

Reignite is being led by the Medical University of South Carolina and guided by medical experts from Roper St. Francis Healthcare and Trident Health to ensure that reopening does not impact public health.

The plan is also being coordinated with Gov. Henry McMaster’s office and the AccelerateSC task force, which is developing strategies for opening the economy statewide.

Reignite is expected to release the first phase of its plan within two weeks.

“Our region is strong and we have a long history of overcoming challenges,” Willis Cantey, chamber chairman, said in the release. “By working as one region, we will responsibly and confidently reignite our economy.”