Rock Hill’s long-quiet Palmetto Research Park is suddenly looking a lot busier. City leaders voted this week to move ahead with a planned Novant Health medical campus that would bring an estimated $300 million in investment and roughly 255 full‑time jobs to the area.
The deal covers about 25 acres of city‑owned land and gives Novant time to finish site investigations before closing. There is still no construction schedule, but officials say the sale could reshape development plans along the I‑77 corridor just south of Charlotte.
City Council’s vote authorizes the sale of the Palmetto Research Park parcel and sets out the broad contours of the transaction, including Novant’s ability to perform due diligence before any purchase is final. City leaders are pitching the arrangement as a partnership that would expand access to care in York County, although specifics on financing and timeline are still thin. As reported by Queen City News.
Where the campus would sit
The proposed campus site sits inside Palmetto Research Park at the intersection of Palmetto Parkway and Mount Gallant Road, right by I‑77 at exit 81. The city has marketed the area as ideal for large, shovel‑ready projects, touting municipal ownership, heavy power capacity and rail access as key selling points for major employers. According to Palmetto Research Park, the property has been prepped specifically to shorten development timelines for big users.
What officials said
Mayor John Gettys called Novant “a longstanding” presence in the region, saying the system is “known for an exceptional standard of care.” Novant representative Chris Bowe framed the land purchase as “a commitment to expanding access to care in Rock Hill and surrounding communities.” The comments came in local media coverage. As reported by Queen City News.
How we got here
City documents and earlier council discussions show the Palmetto Research Park property has been on the market since the Panthers left the site. In April, council introduced an ordinance to sell roughly 50 acres to a buyer listed only as “Project Palmetto Rock,” signaling the city’s willingness to turn the former Panthers property into a research, industrial and life‑science hub. As reported by WRHI.
What’s next
Novant will now work through site testing and other due diligence before the purchase can be finalized, while the city completes remaining approvals and paperwork. Officials say there is still no firm construction timeline.
The Rock Hill proposal fits into a broader Novant expansion across the Carolinas. Earlier this year, the system announced more than $1 billion in construction and renovation projects across its footprint, a pattern that supporters say makes the Rock Hill plan a logical addition. For context on Novant’s regional spending, see WilmingtonBiz.
City leaders say they will release more details as Novant finishes its review and the real estate deal moves toward closing. If the transaction goes through, the medical campus would bring a major health‑care employer into the Palmetto Research Park corridor and could reshape the local jobs and development landscape over the next decade.
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