The commerce delegation, which leaves tomorrow, will trek through China's industrial hinterlands, touring plants and chatting up prospects before joining up with Gov. Mark Sanford in Beijing Oct. 20, said Bob Faith, state commerce secretary.

The China visit precedes an economic development conference that Sanford, Faith and other commerce department representatives already were scheduled to attend Oct. 26-28 in Osaka, Japan.

In addition to the perfunctory high-level meetings, formal meals and hard-hat tours, Sanford will be negotiating a few real live business transactions while in China. One of the reasons he is making the trip is to help finalize several large export deals for a group of South Carolina companies, mostly agricultural and technical manufacturing businesses from outside the Lowcountry. The goods, including soybeans, would be shipped to China via the Port of Charleston, Faith said.

"We clearly can't ignore China as a candidate for exports," he said.

Sanford's presence at the bargaining table is in part a symbolic gesture. The businesses he'll be meeting with are government-controlled companies, so having South Carolina's chief executive on hand for the last leg of the negotiations is viewed as "a big deal" in China's emerging business culture, Faith said.

Sanford and Faith also plan to play the free-trade card as they prod China to spend more on capital investment in the Palmetto State. Faith noted the thousands of manufacturing jobs that China and other countries have gained at South Carolina's expense.

"The political pressure is rising and we think it would be wise for China to accelerate its investment in the U.S." he said. "What better place than South Carolina? ... We can be a good story for how free trade goes both ways. That's our pitch."

Sanford also is scheduled to meet with John L. Thornton, part-time Charleston resident and former co-chief executive of Goldman Sachs & Co. Thornton left his lofty perch in investment banking last July to teach at a prominent Chinese university, where he promotes closer ties between China and the West. Sanford will make a speech at the school.

From there it's off to the 27th annual Japan-U.S. Southeast Association trade conference in Osaka, an event that was held in Charleston last year. The state's Japan agenda also includes rubbing shoulders with new business prospects and executives of large Japanese companies that already have a presence in South Carolina, including Fuji Film and Honda.

"If you want to close deals there's nothing better than going over there. ... Carroll Campbell did it a lot and we're trying to follow in his legacy. It's what you do in business, and the same thing works here," said Faith, who's hoping a commitment or two will materialize during the trip.

"Things are slow, so we're doing whatever we can to shake the bushes and scare up deals," he said.

FORE CLOSURE

Goose Creek has closed on its purchase of Crowfield Golf & Country Club, taking possession of the 18-hole layout Oct. 3. For $2.75 million, the city acquired a turnkey revenue-producing recreational amenity (though any new income will be offset by the property's removal from the tax rolls) and 180 acres of publicly owned open space.

Under a deed restriction, the former owner, KemperSports Management, was supposed to run the club until next Jan. 31. Goose Creek was able to get around that by entering into a subsidiary agreement with KemperSports and transferring the Northbrook, Ill.-based company's staff to the city's payroll, said Dennis Harmon, city administrator. Also, Kemper is advising Goose Creek "on an as-needed basis," Harmon said.

The city is considering some course improvements while exploring ways to increase membership, daily fee play and group business. The rate structure has not changed, Harmon said. Goose Creek submitted the high bid for Crowfield at an Aug. 6 real estate auction.

Click here to return to story:
http://www.charleston.net/stories/101303/bus_13real.shtml