Has Columbia finally caught up to Greenville and Charleston?
May 21, 2026
By Alan Cooper
Publisher
MidlandsBiz
On Monday, May 18, I was interviewed on the South Carolina Business Review and talked about the incredible transformation that has taken place in Columbia over the past 20 years. The major theme was that it is time for Columbia to stop complaining about what we don’t have, and start celebrating what we do have, and will become. You can listen to that interview here.
Consider subscribing the South Carolina Business Review wherever you find podcasts. I follow on Spotify.
Here is a written version of what I wanted to say.
For years, Columbia often felt like it was getting the short end of the stick while growth and major investments landed in Greenville, Charleston, and Spartanburg. But over the past decade, that narrative has changed dramatically, and today Columbia is no longer asking for a seat at the table — it is building the table. I’ve heard Mayor Daniel Rickenmann talk about Columbia’s long standing Eeyore syndrome. ‘We’re probably not going get an Apple store.’
Let’s move on from that!
The clearest example is Scout Motors and its more than $2 billion investment in Blythewood and Richland County, bringing over 4,000 jobs to the region. This week, Scout and readySC opened a new training center at the production site, backed by a $25 million investment to prepare workers for advanced manufacturing careers. The Midlands is proving it can compete in modern manufacturing — an economy built on precision, technology, logistics, and skilled workers.
Other major investments reinforce that momentum. Mark Anthony Brewing announced a $400 million Richland County facility in 2020, one of the largest breweries built in America in more than 25 years. The Ritedose Corporation continues to grow as a national leader in pharmaceutical manufacturing, producing sterile medications used in hospitals across the country.
At the same time, Columbia is seeing renewed headquarters growth. AMAROK is building a $69 million headquarters at BullStreet, creating nearly 300 jobs, while Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union is constructing a five-story downtown headquarters — the largest office development in downtown Columbia in 15 years.
Add in the new USC School of Medicine, continued University of South Carolina growth, and BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina’s major employment presence, and the momentum is undeniable. Columbia is evolving into a manufacturing center, headquarters city, healthcare hub, and university-driven economy.
The old story about Columbia being overlooked is fading. The new story is about a capital city building something significant.
