New Belgium Chooses Asheville, NC For East Coast Brewery – It’s Official! (UPDATES)

I’ve just heard the announcement from Asheville, NC via cell phone and it’s official:  New Belgium WILL Open a brewery in Asheville, NC.

We brought you the news of THIS 2 days ago, and as everyone expected,it was made official minutes ago as Gov. Beverly Perdue made the announcement that New Belgium Brewing would be choosing the Asheville, NC area for it’s east-coast Brewery location.

Following the lead of Sierra Nevada’s move into Asheville, New Belgium’s “secret” came out through multiple sources days ago, and the announcement today was nothing more than a formality.  The 17.5-acre property is located at Craven St at the former Western Carolina Livestock Market and it’s location will provide easy access to Rt. 240.  Stay tuned as more details follow as this news breaks

New Belgium distributed 22oz bottles of Fat Tire with commemorative check-list tags.  The property is along the French Broad river and NB will invest $175 million over the next 7 years and bring 154 jobs to the new brewery.  The site will include a brewery, tasting room & roof-top beer garden…and apparently the site has high visibility from the nearby Smoky Park bridge.  NB Officials are estimating they will break ground in early 2013 and the construction will create 1200 temporary jobs & 260 industry support jobs over the next 7-years.  The chamber of commerce officials also estimate the brewery will bring over $40 million into the local economy.  Once completed, NB estimates they will open their doors in early 2015.  Given their commitment to environmental friendliness & their logo featuring a bicycle, it’s no surprise that NB & the city will be working toward expansion of bike paths that will allow workers & visitors to bicycle to the new brewery.

So who’s planning to move to Asheville NC Now???!